The last Frontier
by Awatere11
Summary: Sol3 is dying & survival for a lucky few is to undergo the flight of a lifetime on SS Torchwood the largest most powerful Space Ship ever made, her mission to seek out a new civilisation where they can settle and create a new Mecca. Captain Harkness must also find a way to co-exist with his First Officer Jones who has a stick up his butt. Alt Verse for FranArian x I Luv Ma Crumbly
1. Chapter 1

1

Jack hurried past the large billboards that declared the Lottery Draw this coming weekend. After almost six months the Lottery was all people were talking about and Jack knew those with credits would get the seats, probably fixed.

Earth was dying, bound to happen sooner or later right? She was in her final death throes and the fate of the human race now rested in those willing to do what had been done since time immemorial. A ship was going to set sail for new lands, only…this ship currently was a good three hour trip above them in the Away Vessel and Jack was still uncomfortable with the other crew. Guaranteed seats for them and their immediate families. Several unwed had hastily married those they loved, liked or had been promised their extended family left behind would be well compensated. Jack liked the Medic Owen Harper, an acidic doctor who openly admired the pretty Japanese lady who had accepted his hand in marriage. Toshiko Sato was a teacher, something that had pushed their papers through and Owen had confided in him that he had quietly admired her for several years, her being a friend if his deceased fiancé Katie.

The Communications Officer Gwen Cooper had also hastily married her beau that she had lived with for some time and Rhys Williams had found a place in the kitchens as a good cook. Other crew had moved quickly and now it was down to the lottery to see who the final members would be, some obviously not able to help as crew but he did hope they got some more academics.

Jack flopped into the Captain's Seat on the Away Vessel and looked across at his First Mate who was currently going over something on his Tablet.

"Are you going to watch the lottery?" Jack asked and stormy grey eyes slid over to look at him, making him feel like he had interrupted something important but then the Tablet was politely lowered as he received a nod of welcome.

"No Captain, I do not envy those who will be chosen in the red sector as there will no doubt be rioting and a few deaths incurred as they squabble." Mister Jones said drolly, "I think we all know there will be few riff raff allowed to board as those who win in the upper quadrant will no doubt be less surprised than they make out."

"You think so too?" Jack snorted, "I was thinking the same thing. They will have to allow some common people in or it will be too obvious that some purchased their numbers."

"I estimate about half the numbers will be random, half will be those who will want nothing more than to sit back and moan. I also recommend we be prepared for those who try to bring staff with them as family and such as well." Mister Jones warned and Jack frowned. "I suggest any recent adoptions be looked at closely."

"I hadn't thought of that, shit. A claim of an older teenage child could be a maid or nanny." Gwen interrupted and Jack find himself drawn to her as she spoke freely of her thoughts and by the time the coupling booms sounded they had a plan set out to counteract this by way of DNA checks.

"Sir?"

"Yes?" Jack turned to Mister Jones and found the man bristling as if he had somehow insulted him, "Mister Jones? What's wrong?"

"Your DNA checks are not going to be acceptable. What of legitimate adoptions, mixed race families and those blended families? Only recent adoptions would be for this purpose? What of ones from a few years back, before talk of a lottery?" he argued and Jack shook his head as he turned to leave the Away Vessel.

"No, Gwen is right we have to tighten things up. Who's to say someone doesn't try to sneak their friends' children on as their own. A promise of a future, who wouldn't try." Jack shook his head and again saw a flare of something behind the bland stare "Spots are limited and we have to be harsh."

"So an adopted child is left behind due to their heritage" the man said as he turned away from Jack with slumped shoulders, "great way to start saving mankind. Let's segregate and alienate."

"It's just common sense" Gwen snorted, "get you head out of your arse. It's us or them. We have earned our spots, everyone else has to as well."

The man seemed to stare a hole into Gwen's head before he brushed past with a silent anger that left Jack feeling cold. He didn't even know a man could take warmth from a room like it was his faithful dog.

Jack went to the Bridge where Mister Jones was standing by his chair and when he saw him he moved away with that graceful silence that made Jack wonder if he was part Vampyre. He watched Mister Jones leave the Bridge and head into the Ready Room, then he settled in the Captain's Chair to go through the preliminary flight checks they went through every time.

This time next month they would be finally taking that step beyond.


	2. Chapter 2

Jack was about to start his Captain's Log when a ping alerted him to an incoming vid-com. He touched the screen and looked at the Commander with surprise, "Brig. What a surprise."

"Javic. I understand you and your Coms Officer have decided not to allow adopted family members on board" the man said calmly, "Under the Gerlot Convention this is a breach of the accord with those who accepted hatchlings into their families."

"Shit, I hadn't thought of that" Jack sighed, "We can't be seen to be excluding them, not with the treaty being so tenuous."

"Exactly, so I suggest you rethink the policy on who is or isn't classed a family. Those adopted will be checked you do not need to make a public outcry of this" the man smiled softly, "Javic, you are so close. Don't fuck this up now and remember that you are being watched so closely right now."

Jack smiled and finished the call then rose, calling for Mister Jones to come to his quarters. As he waited he seethed at the thought the man he was to rely on had ratted him out so quickly. When he entered Jack pointed silently to the chair on the other side of his desk and he watched those long limbs fold into the chair with that grace he admired. Normally.

"I have just had a call from the Brig. Apparently someone squealed to him that I was being mean and alienating certain fractions" Jack said and he watched the man's face change to one of confusion before smoothing over again.

Not him?

"Mister Jones, did you tell of our conversation?" Jack asked.

"No, who would I tell?"

Jack knew his Number One was not lying, he couldn't be. Jack had read his file, saw that he was Gorganian and Gorgans cannot lie. It's some sort of religious thing. If he said no, then he meant it.

"Very well Mister Jones, I suggest you do the final checks and measures as we are going to take this big beauty around the planet for a little show and tell before the lottery." Jack finally said and he saw a grimace before the man rose and bowed politely.

"Yes Captain, anything else?"

Jack swung in his chair, "Yes, I was wondering if you could check the rosters one more time. I think there is some dissent in the engine room with some of the crew."

"Sir there is always dissent in the engine room with the workers" Mister Jones answered, "They are all idiot savants. Wonderful at Warp Drive Engineering but naff at personal communication."

Jack had never heard a Gorgan use slang before and for some reason it tickled him making him smile. The brief smile in return was also unexpected from a usually dower race and Jack blinked as the man exited with that stealth thing.

Wow.

Jack rose and searched his quarters one more time as he wanted his family here before the lottery draw as there might be some weird happenings and the rumblings of possible kidnap attempts and such had started circulating. Tomorrow all crew were to being their families that had been cleared for boarding up where it was safe.

Jack looked at his little home with satisfaction as he knew the Captain's Quarters were the most opulent of the lot, one if his stipulations for this bloody quest was that his family not have to suffer any more than necessary and he sighed softly as he knew there was nothing more to do, nothing more to fix.

Gods, he hoped they liked it up here and forgave him for having to leave their mother behind where she lay in the cemetery. The begging to dig her up had been horrid, both children old enough to know they could not possibly have such a request accepted, not when they had been the ones to beg for the burial of their mother in the first place. One of the last plots in the family cemetery. Such a hallowed place and family had been so angry as burial plats were outlawed but he had worked on the Brig to help get a dispensation. Had he been allowed to cremate her as is the custom she might have been in a small box and allowed to come.

Damn it.

The expense would be horrendous.

Jack found himself standing before the portrait of his family staring into Lucinda's eyes as he silently berated her for making this all such a fucking hard slice of shit pie to swallow. Little Alice and Stephen smiled up at the camera as their mother clutched them like a mother hen, his own arms around hers in the ultimate display of ownership.

She had died less than a month later.

Jack looked around the room with sorrow, his promise to her that he would do all he could to protect their children came back to haunt him now as he prepared to undertake a mission that would last for years, these children being adult crew by the time they reached their destination and he hoped they understood.

Way too expensive for her to come too. Right?

This was their only chance at survival.

All they were leaving behind would be ashes.


	3. Chapter 3

3

"Slow down" Jack called as his daughter disappeared around a corner and he sighed as Stephen followed her, their whoops embarrassing as he watched Crew members turn to look back at the children with soft frowns.

"This is a family road trip" a voice said beside him, "Like it or not people will have to get used to some noise sometimes. We cannot lock them all in a cargo hold for the duration. Right? I mean…just spit-balling here."

Jack grinned as he turned to look at Owen and he snorted, shoving the shorter man on the shoulder.

"Stevie has grown" Owen said happily, "They look like they are doing better. Less anger?"

"Yah, only directed at me now" Jack nodded, "Like I could have fixed her or something. Gods, I am so tired, I will be glad when we are in flight and I can actually sleep without worry of terrorist attack or something stupid like a Warp Drive Failure. Once we really open her up she will hopefully ease my mind."

"Look, she's been through so many checks and balances we really should have called her Lady Liberty not Torchwood" Owen snorted, "She is purring. That flight around Saturn was fine, she was fine. We are fine. Stop stressing about shit you can't shovel!"

"Shit you can't shovel" a voice intoned "That's a good one Citizen."

Owen glanced back at Mister Jones and grinned, "Glad you like it you blue blooded freak."

"Always enjoy your bastardisation of your own language you little rat faced bastard" came the same polite voice and Jack stopped dead, slow turning with an open gape to stare at the Gorgan who had just insulted another crew member with such aplomb.

Gorgons do not do that.

Nope.

"Captain?" that eyebrow rose and Owen snorted, shoving at the First Officer like he was one of his friends, the responding slap loud as the tall mans' hand found Owen's cheek. Owen yelled and then laughed as he leaned against the Grogan.

"Good shot string bean, come on that new scanner arrived I was telling you about. Toshiko has some anagram or something she is working on too" Owen said happily to the man who had just assaulted him.

"Anagram?" Ianto repealed with a cant of his head, "You mean Algorithm?"

"Yeah, that one" Owen laughed, "You know I mix them up Ianto."

"Yes Owen, I have noticed your extreme skills" came the reply that had Owen moving forward as Ianto passed the still immobile captain, "So this scanner. That Brekkan thing you blew up the lab with on your second day?"

"First of all arsewipe, I did not blow up the lab it was just scorched and it was not my second day." Owen bristled and Jack began to follow them with confusion. Owen then shot back at his companions, "It was my third day."

"Ah, I stand corrected" Ianto said calmly, "Most rude of me. Of course you would not have done so on your second day."

"Ta Godzilla" Owen said with satisfaction like he had won some major victory then they rounded a corner to find the children in a conversation with a third. A little Catkind Tom who was animatedly discussing something with them, Jack's children entranced as his whiskers flicked around his face.

"Dad! Can we go with Harrison? The kids are all in a big school room thing where there are toys and stuff" Stephen said excitedly as he pointed to the little Kat, "They have teachers and everything. He said they are doing crafts. Can we go do crafts?"

"Sure" Jack smiled and he watched his children flee, each holding a paw as their new friend led them to their future. "Thank the Gods for Harrison. I was terrified they wouldn't make friends with anyone."

"The children already here are fast forming friendships and clicks. I estimate a week before the first true factions are revealed" Ianto said with a degree of annoyance, "Children are renowned for choosing a side and then making it a war. Harrison is not the only Catkind on board, there are also several other races represented here. I am glad to see your children accept a paw, this will go a long way to easing tension as there will be some on board who like their Catkind servants but will not want them to get a free ride for it. Even though they are crew doing their jobs some will still complain that humans might have done the same jobs."

"Ah, back to that old chestnut" Jack snorted, "You know I did consider what you said and you are correct. We cannot segregate like that. If we are doing this to save all of us, then we must be one people. Be it furry, feathered, blue blooded or scaled."

"Is it wrong for me to admit that the Dragone make me slightly nervous?" Ianto whispered and Jack was again surprised to find the man admitting to a vulnerability as Gorgan are immensely proud, "You see, I find their table manners to be horrifying."

Jack laughed as he agreed, surprised to find he was starting to warm to this strange man that Brig had chosen as his second long before Jack had agreed. The old man had warned him to take time, this one had to grow on you.

Seems he might.


	4. Chapter 4

4

The lottery was as expected, a large portion of the wealthy pretending glee and shock as they were chosen while a handful simply openly showed they did not care. The real draw was for those lesser citizens in the slums and the riots did occur, as did several fake identities making some draws invalid and redrawn. Over the course of three days chaos has reigned and they were finally ready to go.

Jack stood in his finest dress colours with the fine Mister Jones beside him. Their tunics showing not only their rank but also their medals that showed both had bled for their quadrant. Jack had been surprised to see some listed medals missing form Ianto's tunic….yeah…he thought of him as Ianto now.. also some others he didn't know he had as they had not been listed were on display to show other civilisations had decorated him. The small Catkind paw on his collar was the largest surprise, the smiles and gentle greetings of the Catkind crew boarding not lost on those watching as Ianto continued his bland stare of greeting. They knew him. Jack knew he had to review that man's file to see when he had served in that planetary region. He seems to not only understand but quietly responded in their tongue which is no mean feat.

Children were drawn to them and Jack found that the most fun, crouching to speak to them and welcome them as Ianto held out a box of little Torchwood pins that also served as trackers. Each child scanned as Mainframe itemised them, their tracker numbers logged and each parental looked on nervously until Ianto's silent nod to show it was done and their children had been accepted on board.

"Ianto!"

The voice was calling over other people and Ianto turned to watch a dark hared woman calling out, waving at him and he openly grimaced. Jack watched as she approached and then she hesitated, "Hi. I heard you were on the Crew manifest. We made it too, Johnny is in the docks, heavy machinery and the Bio forklifts. I got a job at the school, the kids are so excited. Is…"

"He is looking for you" Ianto cut her off, his look something that made her mouth slam shut and she turned to look at Jack. Somehow Ianto had told her something and Jack pondered how he had done it, her stance altering as she bowed to him.

"Captain, a pleasure to met you. I am Rhiannon Davies, my husband and two children are still being processed. I got in first as I am with child." She blushed.

"A third?" Gwen said as she pushed into the conversation unaware of who she was talking to, "Isn't that a gamble? If you hadn't been drawn you might have been forced to cleanse."

Ianto's head swivelled with such an extreme look of anger that Jack felt the heat of it so he turned in an effort to save her, "Gwen, this is Rhiannon and her family are over there. Both parentals have obtained status two level positions. I am sure their placement was also shortlisted for the dropouts as she is Mister Jones' sister. You know some family were given standby if those serving did not have a full family berthage"

"There are several spots left since the deaths in the slums" she conceded, "I hope we get more humans, there are so many Gorgan and bloody Cats around here."

Ianto seemed to stall out as he blinked slowly, then turned to his sister who was also blinking slowly in a way Jack found unnerving. Rhiannon spoke calmly, "Excuse me? There are only 20% of the entire ship with Gorgan blood."

"Still so many" Gwen sniffed, "I mean really, they are not even a real race. They just came here and bred with us then left behind their hybrids that don't know what they are."

"I can assure you Ms Cooper I know exactly who and what I am" Ianto snarled, his teeth flashing and Jack saw the sharpness of them as his eyes flared "Perhaps you are the one who needs to look within."

Gwen looked at him with confusion.

"Gwen, Mister Jones is Gorgan, as is his sister standing here with us. Perhaps you need to apologise for your slip of the tongue" Jack offered.

"No, by all means let her have her opinion" Ianto said haughtily as he and his sister drew themselves up in an eerie way, "Best I know now which way the wind blows."

Gwen was openly horrified as Ianto's eyebrow rose and Jack saw for the first time that this man had a sense of humour, amused by her horror. Jack pondered this and turned to Owen later as they walked along, "Tosh has settled OK? I see she had passed as flight crew. A teacher with flight status will be a boon. You two coming along OK?"

"Yeah, we have been having date nights and stuff, trying to keep things normal in this insane place" Owen smiled "She likes candles and stuff."

"Ah, you are such a romantic little rat man" Ianto said softly as he slid past and Jack was about to snarl at him when Owen started to laugh.

"You are a prick sometimes Yan" Owen spluttered, "Such a bloody twat."

"Yes, but a good looking one apparently" Ianto turned to walk backwards with the same grace as forwards, "You are just jealous that I don't have to have me pants taken up like a school boy."

Owen laughed again and Jack saw how close they were, two boys having a yob at one another.

Jack against made a mental note to reread this man's personnel file.

He had missed a few things.


	5. Chapter 5

5

Jack was startled to find that Ianto was not only Gorgan but he also identified as Human, his sister only quarter Gorgan. Half siblings. Ianto was almost three quarter Gorgan and a quarter human. Enough to find humour in things but hide it and his sister so little that she often couldn't contain herself.

He wondered how they interacted as children, must have been strange, also it made him wonder if this was part of the reason for him speaking up about blended families. He looked at his service sheet and saw that he was right, Ianto had served in the Catkind Verse for some time, his haughtiness no doubt appealing to them and their weird ways. There seemed to be a dash of this and a splotch of that … Catkind in his DNA not a surprise either given the way he seemed to bristle.

Then he came to the family sheet, one he hadn't looked at and he unfolded it to see what the children looked like, his heart stopping as he stared at the biggest surprise that had him cursing softly. The child smiling for the camera with excitement was not what he had expected.

Giggling had him looking up as his children passed the doorway to his home office and the third child with little whiskers twitching stopped to bow politely and Jack couldn't help but smile at the cute Kat. He sighed and rose to go watch the children play happily together, his fear that they might not make friends dispelled by their first one already.

Jack went back to his office and keyed in the CCTV, searching until he found the Davies children sitting alone at a table in the Mess and he sighed, "Come on kids. Let's all go get something in the Mess."

They tramped down and he watched the Kat immediately make a B-line for the Davies children as his own followed and soon they were all sitting with ice creams as they talked excitedly about the trip and he sat back with relief as the children meshed and found each other interesting.

More friends.

Check.

"And what have we here?" a voice asked dryly, "Ice cream? Really?"

Micha looked up at her uncle with glee as she lifted hers and Jack saw a rare smile as he declined, "Sorry princess but I came searching for something salty."

Ianto absently rubbed the Kat's ears as he looked over his shoulder and read the article the kids had keyed up on the table that was like a huge tablet, "Oh, the engine room? Big isn't it, takes up a large area but we need it to get so far, there are actually two ya know so it one dies we have a back-up. Everything has at least one back-up on here, even a little third one in case we have to evacuate to the smaller upper level that detaches. Ask the Captain here, he can show you a diagram I am sure."

Ianto moved away as the children all looked at Jack with wide eyes and he found himself immersed in the blueprints of the boat along with the children, his daughter finding his lap at some stage.

"Sir?" Harrison asked politely, "Can we see the Bridge some time when it's not too busy?"

Jack checked his wristlet and considered, "well, the shifts are not due to end for another three hours so things are quiet right now, wanna come see now?"

They all gasped with glee and he led them up to the bridge, feeling like a proud mama hen as the little chicks fluttered about making noises of delight and more than one crew member broke protocol to kneel and answer a polite question.

"By the Gods man, tell me these are not all yours!" Ensign Andy Davison laughed, "Like…do you breed in bloody litters?"

"No, these two are mine" Jack laughed happily, "The others are relatives of your FO."

They all fell silent with shock and Jack laughed some more, "What, you think he was loomed or something? Of course he is real and has family. Luckily the lottery was kind and his sister and her mate are worth having. As you can see, they also provide a wonderful next generation."

"And the Kat?" Gwen asked as she walked out of the ready room making Jack do a double take.

"He's with us" David bristled as he staunched up to the woman twice his size, "You got a problem with that?"

"No" she blinked with surprise "NO, of course not. Oh. This why he got upset about the adoption thing?"

Jack smiled as Harrison approached with wee paws reaching out and he lifted him to his hip letting him see all the knobs and switches as he explained them and the little one mewled with excitement as he looked at the pretty blinking lights.

Jack watched the children leave, Andy excitedly going with them to see the dayroom and he settled in the Captain's Chair with a better mood.

This is why they were doing this, right?

If they didn't enjoy the place then what is the point at all. This was their future this entire exercise was being efforted for.

And besides.

Jack did love little ones.


	6. Chapter 6

6

Ianto was in the Mess eating breakfast and he made room for Jack automatically as it had become their custom to eat together. The children came roaring in with Rhiannon scolding gently after them and they headed for the table, all plopping down as Jack smiled, "Well? Did you have a nice sleep over?"

"Daryl vomited" Harrison said with glee and David giggled as he nodded.

"Daryl is a twat" Stephen said with a knowledgeable nod and Ianto looked furtively at the Kat who rubbed his arm.

"Harrison? Is something wrong with your arm?"

"Daryl hit him but I hit him harder" Stephen said with a frown, "Bullies don't win."

"Are you OK Harrison?" Jack asked softly as he moved his chair closer, "Do you need a hug?"

The Kat lit up ad Jack cuddled him and rubbed his head affectionately, all the kids talking at once as they talked about their first night all sleeping together in the Day Room where all the children would go to school and play. Ianto silently rose and helped his sister with the food as Jack revelled in the noise and excitement, his own laughter joining in.

They all ate and then Ianto rose first, a kiss to his sister's cheek before he wandered off to start his shift and Jack finished with a sigh of happiness as he wished them all a good day and followed the man he found interesting.

"Ianto, wait up" he called, then realised he had used his first name but the man seemed undisturbed, "Sorry about that, I call you Ianto in my head, it just fell out."

"You know, we are going to be together for the rest of our lives, maybe first names is not the end of the worlds" Ianto replied calmly, "But not on the Bridge."

"Agreed, when on duty it is official all the way but between shifts I would like to be friends" Jack said with a quiet hope and the nod in return almost made him want to skip.

"So, they seemed to have enjoyed that exercise, a good idea by the way. If we have an emergency or a need for them to stay overnight we now know they can all get along in the one space without losing a limb or an eye" Jack said happily as they walked and Ianto hummed as he agreed, then he looked up and pointed at a blown bulb above their heads.

"Third one"

"Huh?" Jack looked up with interest.

"Third bulb today that isn't on" Ianto replied, "Is Mainframe conserving or do we have a glitch?"

They headed to the bridge and found Tosh there muttering as she crawled around in the wiring under a console. Ianto walked over and politely addressed her, "Excuse me Toshiko, is there a problem?"

"Blew a circuit" she snarled as she tossed a blackened circuit board out then emerged to hunt through her tool box.

"I thought we had back-up so if that happened Mainframe would simply click to another one." Ianto frowned.

"Yeah, for some reason it didn't register" she sighed, "Weird. There was one in the kitchen earlier as well"

"If there are any more I want to be told immediately" Ianto demanded, he then pivoted on his heel to look at Jack, "Captain, can we possibly do an emergency dill? Treat this like a terrorist attack? Perfect time?"

Jack knew something was going on but indulged his second with a nod, the crew jumping into action and soon they were running a systems check by the book. Ianto seemed to be moving towards the cargo hold and Gwen was the first to make a noise as Ianto tapped the screen then swung to address them "Captain, we have several unidentified heat signatures in Cargo Bay 3."

"An annomaly" Gwen huffed, changing the screeen to another.

Ianto made a soft noise of annoyance then he looked at Jack through his lashes in such a way that Jack felt his mouth go dry as he asked "Permission to take a security team to investigate Sir."

"Granted" Jack nodded, then he watched Ianto stride from the bridge accompanied by several large angry looking security guards.

Jack looked over at Tosh who was fiddling with something, then the large viewer screen flickered to life, Ianto visible as he walked the lower levels.

"Well done" Jack said as he settled to watch and then he watched them enter the cargo bay, fanning out to investigate, Ianto turning to look directly at the camera. "How does he know?"

"He's Gorgan" Tosh said softly, "They have that inner eye thing. They know when someone is watching ….oh gods!"

Two men emerged from behind a large storage area and Jack cursed as he recognised stowaways, a third coming up behind him as Ianto tried to back to a wall.

"Where did security go?" Jack hissed and Tosh pulled the camera out to show one on the ground and another struggling with a forth man in a corner.

"What the hell do we do?" Jack asked but Mainframe was already acting.

The floor was larva….or at least electrified as they all got a zap.

Jack could only watch with horror as Ianto folded gracefully to the floor with everyone else.


	7. Chapter 7

7

Jack strode down to the Brig and entered to find some very sore looking stowaways and an equally annoyed FO.

"Excuse me Mister Kerna, why is my First Officer in there with them?" Jack asked as calmly as he could, the urge to scream bubbling in his gut.

"Ms Cooper sent instruction that they were all to be scooped into there except for Security" came the reply, "I asked about Mr Jones and was told that he was a suspect as he knew they were there or some shit. Er….Captain, Sir."

Jack turned to look at the approaching Gwen Cooper, "Ms Cooper? You said to place Ianto under hold?"

"Yes Captain, he knew they were there" she answered haughtily, "We all saw him directing the search that way."

"Gwen, if I was in on it and knew why would I give them away?" Ianto asked with confusion, his words still slightly slurred.

"Because whatever they paid you to get on board they can't get back now" she scoffed, "Clearly you want them caught and gone so you did this."

Ianto looked even more confused, his face screwing up in an unfamiliar way then he snorted softly as he shook his head, "She's mad she is!"

"Gwen" Jack said then took a deep breath, "He knew Mainframe's defences. Don't you think he might have worn rubber soled shoes?"

Gwen faltered blinking and then she pointed out "Yes but we would have noticed."

"More than me deliberately outing them?" Ianto sighed, "You know what sir, leave me in here. I feel I may be safer with bars between her and me."

"Gwen, you are aware that Mr Jones is Gorgan?" Jack asked with a growing dread, "You know, the humanoid species with a second sight? Inner eye? Why he was chosen as my second? His ability to smell danger? Top of his academy class? Gwen? Did you read his personnel file? Gwen? At all? They cannot lie? Let's also acknowledge that ALL his family are on board and we do not have currency? What might they had paid him that would be of worth up here?"

She blinked and then looked at Ianto, "You're an alien?"

"Well, actually you are the alien to me" Ianto replied, "But if you want to split hairs, we all are now. Right?"

Gwen blinked and looked at Jack with open horror, "Really? We have an alien in charge if you die from a heart attack or something? Do the others know?"

"For the love of coffee flavoured ice-cream" Ianto snorted, staggering back to a cell bed and the stowaway on it rose to block his way with a sneer. Ianto simply rabbit punched him in the throat and the man looked shocked as he fell to his knees clutching at his throat. "Fuck off, got a headache."

Ianto flopped onto the bed and sighed as Jack watched the other stowaways move away from him with newfound respect. Jack stifled a snort of amusement. Kitty has claws.

"Right" Jack said as he turned to Mr Kerna "Let's get him out of here and into the med bay for Owen to poke and prod. Those electrified floors can give you a real juice up and if I recall correctly Mr Jones hasn't eaten since breakfast either."

Ianto walked slowly with Jack beside him and after the third stumble Jack slid an arm around his waist to pull him close, anchoring him and Ianto hummed softly, "You smell good. Do you know that?"

Jack looked at him with surprise as the usually ramrod straight man appeared as it intoxicated, the electrical charge had fried him good. Jack realised he was seeing the real man, no walls, no masks and he saw a softer featured face with a gentle nature.

"Come on Ianto, I will soon have you horizontal" Jack whispered and he got a snort in return.

"Decidin' on that"

"Deciding what?" Jack asked with surprise.

"If that's harassment or I like it" Ianto replied haughtily, ruined by a soft chuff, "You know, maybe both. You have such a nice arse ya know."

Now Jack was stunned, his tongue suddenly slapping to the roof of his mouth and an electrical charge virtually exploding though his body as he felt a hand gently slide to his butt to squeeze before disappearing again and Ianto stepped away from him towards the med bay door, "Yeah. Lovely arse."

The door opened and Owen shot out, seizing Ianto and yanking him inside as Jack stood gobsmacked, then he saw the door closing and surged forward into the room where Owen was trying to get sense from the man who owlishly blinked back at him.

"Merdock on a hover board, you really got a good boot" Owen snorted, "Mainframe really disliked the intrusion didn't she."

"Always was tetchy" Ianto sighed, sitting and Owen barked a warning, grabbing him and propelling him to the bed he was too far away from.

"Oh. Ta Citizen Rat Man" Ianto said as he flopped back onto it and Own grinned as he swung his legs up.

"You are welcome Godzilla" Owen replied and Ianto laughed softly to himself then repeated the word.

"Godzilla?" Jack asked as he stepped over to the table where Owen was filling out a form.

"Yeah, I call him Godzilla and he calls me Citizen" Owen smiled softly, "When we were kids he was so big to my little brain, always taller than me even though younger. Our parentals found it weird that we got along so well but we like it. He could outwit anyone and if someone got nasty I punched them in the balls. Pow. Low blow. He joked that I was his Pocket Rocket. We were weird kids, what can I say. The settlement was all species and religions, we stuck together. To be together again is great, I knew when I saw his name on the crew list that I made the right decision to come. Come hell or high water he never let me down. I was always safer in his shadow."

Jack nodded as he found another side of his First Officer.

Damn if he wasn't getting more interesting by the day.


	8. Chapter 8

8

Jack helped Ianto to his quarters and he was again in for a surprise as the harsh metal and glass he expected did not eventuate, instead there stood wood. Real wood. Gods, now Gwen's clams seemed even more stupid as Jack saw the wealth in the quarters as the rich warm wood with burgundy stain showed our Mister Jones was a bit of a connoisseur of antiques.

Red and gold was everywhere all lush and inviting. Real change to the blue and silver that was everywhere with everyone so eager to show the quadrant colours and Jack found it comforting to see that Ianto was not going to bow to the masses, a traditionalist that had the colours of his people on display….and a little scratching post.

Jack noted the toys scattered about like they were also fine pieces of art, a handmade spaceship from milk cartons sat pride of place next to the scale model of the Torchwood. Pride on display.

"Taddy?"

"Don't speak, I am in a mood" Ianto slurred, "I got zapped and am still singalinging"

"Singalinging?" came the squeaked reply, "Wow. Sounds painful."

"Yep."

Maybe it was the calm conversation that showed the man behind the mask was also a more loving parental than assumed or the way he popped that P but Jack find himself hugging Ianto to him as he rubbed his back and whispered that he as a lovely man, the chuff of air against his cheek telling him it was not rejected.

"But you will be OK right?"

"Yes darling, go play with your pet yeah?" Ianto sighed as he sagged against Jack and pointed at a door, "That one please Sir Yum."

Jack stifled a giggle at the title and levered Ianto into the personal space of an OCD Alien with Steampunk tendencies. It was….wow. Pretty things, shiny things, weird pieces of that appeared to be machinery…glass. Metal. Fur…that moved. SHIT

Jack jumped as a gerret turned to regard him, it's furry body slithering like it was a snake as it moved though some of the artefacts and tat on the shelves and Ianto waved a hand at it, "Naughty Baxter, piss off then, there's a good fuckerat"

Jack watched the little animal that was a cross between a ferret and a lizard scamper off gleefully with what appeared to be a sock in its jaws as Ianto slammed onto the bed to stare aimlessly at the ceiling.

"Don't yell me. Little fucker just took a sock." He said after a few beats.

"I've never seen a real one" Jack replied as he started to remove Ianto's boots, "You know, there are so few left. He is startling."

"Was me wife's" Ianto replied "Lisa's family bred them, all the top toffs have one. Little fuckers bite ya know. We didn't like each other at first but I think we have an understanding now."

"And your son?"

"Ah, it loves him of course. Little fucker. Reminds me of Owen, all teeth and snarling bluster until you offer a yum" Ianto rolled and smiled at Jack, something that transformed him into such an exotic creature totally unaware of his beauty, "You know, I overheard talking in the Mess and apparently according to some you smell that way naturally. Really? I mean, those are pheromones or something?"

"Yeah, Boeshanninan" Jack said softly as he crouched to enjoy the handsome smile, "When we like someone we naturally entice with smell"

"Ah" Ianto rolled to his back and stared at the ceiling as Jack moved about putting the boots in a spare space that seemed right, then he looked up to find Ianto's eyes boring into him, "So…does that mean you are interested in me?"

"Well, yes" Jack answered as Ianto canted his head, "I find you pleasing to me physically as well as intellectually. You amuse me, you confuse me and you look damn fine in that uniform First Officer Jones."

"Careful. Harassment that is Sir" Ianto said, then spoilt the reprimand with a soft snort of amusement. "Ta."

"For what?"

"For pretending I am a catch. Nice. I mean, I know I'm not. Me eyes are too small, my ears are not high enough and there is this thing with one of my eyebrows where is seems to have it's own opinion on things. Can't control the bugger."

"Actually I will let you into a secret" Jack whispered "I think that eyebrow flirts with me."

"I suspected as much" Ianto grunted with a scowl, "Always was taken with the pretty ones."

Jack laughed happily as he finally drew the covers over the limp man on the bed and he leaned over to run his finger over Ianto's brow, "Sleep, you will feel better when you wake."

"Thank you"

"Don't mention it, you know I find you interesting? I do. I like your company, I like speaking with you and find a boring moment saved by you." Jack replied and Ianto blinked, then smiled softly as he hummed.

There it was again.

Like a purr.

Kitty had song too.

"Good night Tiger."


	9. Chapter 9

9

"Harrison, have you found your shoe?" Alice called out as she looked under the table Jack was currently sitting at and a faint meow of no sounded from the bedroom.

"You know, this is the worst part about Stephen having a friend spend a night for sleepover" she told her father with her hands on her hips, looking so much like her mother "Boys are so stupid with their things."

"Yes dear" Jack gave the same answer that her mother had always been satisfied with and he watched her head nod, as she turned away. He smiled as he looked down at the file on his tablet again.

She scowled as she tried to decide if that was sarcasm or not but then a furry body brushed past and she grinned, swinging to watch the naked Kat hunt, "Harry, you have such lovely stripes. Why do you hide them with clothes?"

"Cos me Mama didn't have any. She was black and lush and pretty. No a big fat ginge like me" he said as he sniffed at a corner and pointed barging over to hold up the shoe with a noise of triumph. "Besides, me boy bits are hanging down if I don't wear a bum holder.

"Harry first of all stop calling your underwear bum holders. Secondly you are not a fat ginge. You are not really ginger, you are a tabby calico really. I mean, that hand is grey, that one white. You are sort of a pinky colour with red stripes. where not grey and black. I don't see any colours that are really ginger, not like Carlton down in the third level. Now he is ginger."

"Yeah, he really is right?" Harrison grinned, his little whiskers twitching, "My Mama said my fur was pretty. I know Mamas are supposed to say that though."

"I think you are pretty too" Alice said firmly, "Now stop talking like that, you are so fuzzy and nice to cuddle. Come on, sandwich?"

"OK cupcake" he giggled and the children all laughed as they went back into the bedroom , the ping of the doors alerting Jack to a visitor and he looked up as he gave the entry code and Ianto wandered in.

"Good morning Jack" Ianto said as he folded into a chair and Jack found himself smiling softly at hearing his name said with such ease. "I was correct in my assumption that Ms Cooper and Mister Kerna are acquainted. Apparently she arranged his placement."

"Damn it, there were several she chose that were OK'd by the committee. I wanted more control over the crew but had to appear happy so they would not veto those I really wanted" Jack muttered as he frowned at the tablet.

"Not to worry, I shall do some checks and balances sir" Ianto assured him "Are you going over the nightly figures?"

"Yeah, there was a spike in engine three just after midnight" Jack said as he handed the tablet to him and watched those stormy eyes drink in the screen with a soft frown.

"Looks like it could be a problem with the mixers, I will discuss it with Garp" Ianto said as he reached into a pocket to remove an earwig, placing the ear piece in and tapping it in a sequence. "Garp. This is Mister Jones. Yes. Yes. That one. Yes. Still? There was a spike in engine three after midnight there are you fiddling with the mix? When? Who authorised it because we never got notification. No. That's right. Well you need to say so, you are bigger than them. Tell them I said so. Yes. Yes. Be Brave and Live Loud"

Ianto gave the standard goodbye to the Dragone Officer and removed the earwig "He tells me they had to replace some of the seals on the coolant system so the engine had to be recalibrated. This should have been logged and he promises he will tear strips from the night crew."

"Thank you Ianto" Jack smiled, his eyes sliding to his daughter as she entered the room.

"Hello Mister Jones" she said politely, "Are you going to come for tea tonight? We can eat here, I wanna use the good plates."

"Alice has been unpacking and found her mother's good dinner set, wants to entertain" Jack explained as he rose to do up his tunic and Ianto rose to help, his fingers deftly sliding the buttons home as Jack became lost in his eyes for a moment.

"Well?"

Ianto blinked and turned to face her, "Yes Ma'am that sounds lovely. Invitation accepted."

"Good" she nodded "Harrison? You too?"

"Me too what?" a yowl asked and Ianto snorted softly.

"Tea tonight here?" she said, then huffed, "For the love of chocolate!"

She stomped off and her voice could be heard scolding the boys for still being naked.

"They are not really naked" Jack said calmly, "They have socks and shoes on."

Ianto turned to face him and blinked, then snorted again as his eyes danced with mirth.

Jack grinned back, enjoying the most amusement Ianto had shown to date and he vowed to get more. Hopefully a bark of laughter before he slaps that mask back down.

Jack loves a challenge.


	10. Chapter 10

10

"Banking Captain" Gwen called softly as the vessel took a dive to starboard and they waited to feel anything then Jack nodded with satisfaction as the onboard stabilisers showed they were in top condition, not even a tremor as the gravity shifted and adjusted to keep them comfortable onboard. Those down below in the belly of the vessel will have thought this a simulated drill, having felt nothing.

"Thank you Mainframe" Ianto called out calmly and the red lights to signal an emergency died away turning the bridge back to daytime running lights.

Gwen swung to glare at him, "I believe that was my place to call that one in."

Ianto looked at her with surprise as did other crew members, Jack turning his chair to face her, "Ms Cooper, Ianto is FO. It was his place to give an order from my right hand."

"Well, I think this is something that needs to be discussed. We still haven't had a Citizen Meeting and I think that might…"

"What are you up to" Ianto demanded, "What have you done! Perhaps we need to take this to the Ready Room instead of in the open?"

"What do you mean? You speak to me in front of witnesses" she spluttered as Jack frowned.

"Ian…Mister Jones, what is going in?" Jack asked. "What do you know?"

"There have been rumblings the last few days, the Engine Room tells me some are being encouraged to push for a vote of human only crew" Ianto said angrily, "Mainframe is also aware of a growing faction of Humans for Humanity on board, the very terrorists we thought we were leaving behind. Gwen? Care to explain why I have been told you attended one of their meetings last night?"

Jack looked at her with raised eyebrows, "Well?"

"I was curious, had heard the rumours and wanted to see for myself. I thought that if the rumours were true I could bring it to your attention but all I found were families wanting some sort of cohesive comfort in their own kind. This is not a terrorist cell and I resent the fact Mister Jones is making an uninformed decision by labelling us as such." She said with a calm voice even as her hands clasped together to mask their shaking.

She was caught.

She knew she was caught.

But she had something the blue blooded arsehole didn't. The ability to lie and she drew herself up now as she regarded him, "Anyway, your brother-in-law was there too. Strange for someone with a blue blooded wife, eh? And the mixed blood tainted spawn?"

Ianto sucked his cheeks in as some on the bridge openly gasped, one moving fast to step between them, "Take that back!"

"Excuse me? Gwen bristled.

"I am of mixed blood, my mother was Sol3 Japanese, my father was Dragone" Tosh snarled, "You take back that racial slur. That has been outlawed!"

"In case you've not noticed, this is not Sol 3" Gwen snorted then a throat clearing reminded her that she was in the wrong place for such shows of dominance.

"You see Sir?" she simpered to Jack, "This is the fraction forming within the crew, them against us."

Jack sung in the chair for a few moments as he considered and Ianto silently bristled, then Jack said quietly, "Ms Cooper are you aware that I am not of Sol 3? Did you not know I am Boeshanninan?"

Gwen blanched before she could stop herself.

"This vessel is being piloted by two men who are Alien to Sol 3 even though we are both descendants of the said planet. My crew are now ex-Sol 3, all of them. All of us. We are a new species, a new civilisation all together. We have to stop thinking of ourselves as different breeds or cultures. We are all one people now. The people of Torchwood"

Ianto bowed to his captain and then turned to face the crew, "Are we all in agreement?"

"AYE!"

"Mainframe, please issue a shipside memo, from this moment forth we shall all refer to ourselves as …er…Torchwoods?" Ianto canted his head, "Torchies? Woodies? Maybe this should be tabled for the first official Citizen Meeting for ALL of us?"

Jack nodded as he agreed with the handling of the situation and turned back to his tablet signalling an end to the discussion as Toshiko bristled at Gwen some more and Ianto placed a hand on Tosh's petite shoulder, "Come along wee Dragone, I think she got the point. It might take time for some to come around but we have years….virtually years of cohabitation ahead of us so they will have to pull their heads out of their arses or be blown out of an airlock, after all we outnumber them three to one, right? Us impure mixed bloods? Spawn?"

Toshiko smiled sweetly at Gwen as she deflated, "Mister Jones is right, no need to fight about this after all we would win. No, we will wait for the meeting and all get some ground rules established."

"You bet we will" Gwen hissed.

"Oh and Ms Cooper?" Ianto called after her as she began to storm from the bridge, "You are relieved of your post, I did not hear the request … apologies."

Titters as she slammed from the bridge and Jack snorted.

"You know Mister Jones, you are stirring up a hornet's nest with that cheekiness" Jack said softly as Ianto settled back by the chair and Ianto leaned in as if looking at the tablet and Jack whispered to his FO "Thank you for the heads up, she has an agenda? Keep watch."

"Fire trumps hornets Captain and if Toshiko flames her we will have a mess on my floor"

Jack couldn't contain the chuckle.

So cheeky.

.

.

.

Those of you who follow me and know where I live ... the draught declared by my government has broken with torrential downpours resulting in severe flooding in my region. I assure you that i may be a bit waterlogged but i am OK. My family is fine and we shall endure.


	11. Chapter 11

11

The meeting was already underway as they entered and Jack almost stumbled with surprise as he saw Gwen sitting up front but the calm hand of his FO slid to his lower back and prompted him forward. Jack raised his head and strode with confidence to the lectern, turning to face the crowd and he saw the defined factions sitting in their little clumps.

"Ms Cooper, thank you for warming the seat for me, now you may vacate" Ianto said loudly as he towered over her and Gwen squeaked with shock as he seized the back of the chair and pulled it back with ease. Unable to complain without looking silly, she rose and Ianto slid into the chair, looking at their captain with an expectant gaze. Jack grinned, caught by Gwen who frowned and her pout had people murmuring between themselves as she stomped to another seat further down the table.

"This is the first….wait." Jack turned back to the table and Ianto canted his head, "First Officer Jones, we seem to have people missing from this table."

"Yes Captain" Ianto rose and looked over the crowd. "Mr Kerp, you represent the Engine Room do you not? Sir, you must come sit with us as you are a voice on this council as is Missus Granger…. Ah. There you are. Madam, are you not the head Dragone onboard? Come, a seat is here for you. We are all equals here, we all have equal say and standing, bar the Captain who will act as Chair."

There was loud talking now as people rose and seats were moved about, the regulated rows becoming less viable as they rearranged the room to suit and it also became less obvious who was who. Those with money had not attended, too busy in the First Class Steerage. Their choice not to take part.

"Meril" Ianto said softly, "Will you sit for the Catkind?"

A pretty Persian rose and looked around uncomfortably, "Well, we all discussed it and we all recognise that the highest ranking of our kind is you Mister Jones, Sir. You are one of us if only through marriage. We are comfortable if you speak for us, also the Gorgan feel the same. We sit together, we will stand together united."

Ianto rose to address them, showing respect as he bowed "I shall do my best to represent both my natural blood and my beloved heart's choice. I am Gorgan. I am part Human and you all know that part is a problem at times."

Titters rustled through a small number and Jack pondered as Ianto continued.

"My dear wife was the most beautiful of Catkind, none shall ever match her and I shall never love another queen," Ianto sighed, "I devote myself to the future of all my heart's loves, be it, Gorgan, Catkind, Human or that drop of Firebird from my mother's side that startles those who least expect it."

Now some raucous laughter from the Engine Room corner as more than one pointed at him and he did something that took Jacks breath away.

Ianto smiled.

Wide and full of glistening teeth, his K9s elongating to show the ancient bloodlust of the Gorgan blood as he opened his mouth to let a single bark of laughter echo around the room.

"We are one people, even as we are many. Like the old story of Legion. We are Torchwood. All of us. Our bloodline is Torchwood, our children and their children will be Torchwood Bloodline. I am so pleased that my beautiful son is Torchwood, the insignia in his clothing not only a badge of honour that his father managed to gain his future but also a sign that his children and their children who will wear it one day to show their origins."

Roars of delight as Ianto motioned and Harrison stamped forward to be lifted to his father's hip, a rare display of affection as Gorgan do not do such things, Ianto's lips against one fuzzy ear making his little whiskers come forward like a moustache.

"My son is my future. I entrust it to all of you too. I came because I believe in the vision of our Captain, the calculations of our scientists and most importantly I believe in all of you. We will form a new people, a society of love, understanding and strength." Ianto said as he let Harrison slide to the ground and Alice shot forward to cuddle him. Jack motioned his son and they stood on the stage.

""This is our future" Jack said calmly, "Right here. Look at this, my daughter, my son."

Jack moved to Harrison, placing his hands gently on the little Kat's shoulders, "My son too. All the children are mine, I am their father. Matilda, you are our best cook. You are also my children's Aunt now. Gervib. You are an excellent fuel dispenser; you are also my children's Uncle now. Do you understand. We are all in this together. Family, my brothers and sisters, we are all stepping into the unknown with only one another for comfort. I know I will have your support, I know I will have your guidance when needed and I hope you know that you will have my last breath to complete this mission."

"Now" Ianto said calmly, "Down to the serious business. Are we Torchwoodarians? Torches? Woodwards?"

"I think we are Woodies" Jack pondered as the place exploded with suggestions.

The Burmese that slid along the wall to stand near Gwen, green eyes fixed firmly on her was unseen by almost everyone and Ianto nodded his agreement to his cousin. Yes.

She was now under the eye.


	12. Chapter 12

12

Jack left the meeting triumphant and knew it was due to the calm FO and the lovely little Kat who entertained with chirps and meows as he handed out refreshments showing his Taddy had taught him well.

Jack had seen many shocked faces when Ianto had shown his son. Then he had revealed his sister and her children to shocked silence. The idea that he had once been a small child probably more of a shock than to learn he had kin.

"I guess a lot of them think I came fully grown like from a DNA machine" Ianto said out loud as they headed towards the first class steerage and Jack wondered if he had spoken first then remembered the man's uncanny ability to know his thoughts.

"You said you have a drop of firebird in you" Jack said as it finally occurred to him that he did too.

"Yes, we do not have a bond but somewhere in the dark recesses I can feel you" Ianto replied, "Catkind can commune too."

"Really?" Jack asked with obvious interest now.

"Yes, I was glad of my meagre empathic and telepathic abilities as I did tend to start when one chose to commune silently. Thankfully they didn't seem to notice my panic" Ianto replied.

"Right, so fellow Woody!" Jack said happily and Ianto rolled his eyes making Jack laugh, "Yes, I know you would have preferred Sparks or Embers but they really went with Woodies."

"They don't all know the other use for the word Woody" Ianto growled, "Not all are as…. Cheeky as you."

Jack laughed good-naturedly and then slowed his smile fading. The walkway suddenly blocked by a makeshift wall "What's this?"

"It looks like some sort of barricade" Ianto sighed, "Damn it all, these higher level idiots need to learn their money buys them nothing out here. They still think they are higher class simply because they purchased the large berths."

Jack looked at the handmade wall and door, his frown deepening as he turned to Ianto and then gave the structure a mighty shove and he watched the entire monstrosity waver, then tumble back to fall with a loud boom. Jack shrugged and calmly walked over it as two men came running with the last thing Ianto wanted to see.

Weapons.

"Who goes there!" one roared, raising his gun and Ianto reacted as Jack turned too slowly to react in time.

Ianto went low, tackling the man as the gun went off, the shot wild hitting the wall where it embedded itself in the steel. Thank the gods it was the inner wall, not the hull and Jack gaped at the bullet hole before turning to find the other man also on the ground with Ianto rubbing his knuckles on his thigh with a grimace "I suggest you stay down or I will bloody well end you!"

Others had appeared and one with a huge girth to match his ego puffed forward, "What's all this. Leave our security alone, who the hell do you think you….ah….Captain Harkness?"

"Mister Ellington" Jack replied.

"Duke" the man spluttered, "I am a Duke!"

"You were on Sol 3" Ianto replied with obvious anger, "You are a Duke of Sol 3. Here on the Torchwood you are another soul under OUR command. How dare you segregate yourselves from the rest of the passengers and crew."

"We do not need you, we have our own food, chefs and workers" a woman said haughtily and Ianto turned to Jack.

"See? Did I not say this would happen? They have smuggled staff on board" Ianto was furious and he touched the insignia on his tunic, "Mainframe. I want security here stat. I want a search and head count of ALL in the upper steerage, we have stowaways and weapons."

"How dare you!" one shouted, another complaining loudly that the dogs were going to be woken at this rate.

"Dogs" Ianto replied, "Madam? You were not processed as a dog breeder. You have pet dogs in your cabins? Were they cleared by customs? Or did you smuggle them in with your luggage."

"Ah shit" Jack wailed, "Gwen did all ….shit. Shit. Gwen didn't sweep this deck did she. She simply took their word for it because they were the rich ones."

"I'll have you know my family have made a substantial investment in this voyage!" a young upstart sneered, his pants still open from his afternoon romp with the woman who blinked from behind him.

"And we have not yet passed the final station" Ianto replied with his calm restored, "Anyone who is not happy can disembark and return to Sol 3. No one is leaving this vessel unless it is to NOT get back on so choose wisely. There will be no ship to shore coms and all storage containers will be opened and checked for staff or slaves! We are in quarantine ."

"That's how they did it" Jack sighed, "That's why those others were in there. Shit, they simply boxed them like chattels and had them placed in the hold."

"I will not stand for this!" the Duke roared, "I demand you do as I say."

"I vote he goes first" Ianto pointed, "Can we vote some off?"

Jack held back a snort of humour as he saw that rare comedy in the FO, turning to face him.

"Now, now then. Don't be mean. Next you will be jettisoning them out into seep space" Jack scolded with mirth.

"No. That will come later" Ianto said as he turned to leave, "Once there is no turning back we may have to lighten the load."

Jack hid his snort of amusement at the paling faces as they realised Gorgans do not lie.

Even if Jack knew this one was capable of bending things a bit.


	13. Chapter 13

13

Jack sat in stony silence as he looked at the mess littering his desk, the weapons and drugs that had been seized by force as the 'richies' had more security to try and impede the search.

Ianto had taken part, Jack still behind the desk because he couldn't very well come out from behind it since Ianto had stormed in with the flat jacket and tightest britches the gods had ever blesses him with making him look edible. Ianto of course had no idea that he was even desirable in the slightest as he stalked the room with anger, the pile growing as each team entered.

"So, the Duke is the main instigator" Jack said slowly.

"He has renamed himself" Ianto snorted, "He is Tsar now."

"Huh?"

"Apparently President didn't seem right and Prime Minister was stupid. Then they discussed Master but then decided on Tsar." Ianto snorted, "Captain, he is pulling a lot of strings here, they are practically bowing to him. Seems he has their backing to possibly overthrow you if need be. He has asked for Parlay."

"Parlay?"

"Yes, like he is head of some colony about to make a peace treaty with the savages" Ianto said with a slow blink, "I still vote for jettisoning him."

"I like that idea too" Owen said as he bounced in and started poking at the stuff, "Wow, can I have some of this?"

"The drugs?" Jack asked with surprise.

"Some of these were not in the surgery, some of these might come in handy" Owen muttered, "Yeah, can I have them?"

"Whatever" Jack shrugged, "The weapons will be categorised, those of use kept in or armoury and the rest sent to the Outer Limit Station."

"Last Chance Coral" Ianto said softly, "You know some will pretend they are leaving to try and force you to back down on the No Class rule."

"And they will find themselves left!" Jack snapped, Ianto hiding his grimace as he saw Jack's anger. "Tell him to stick his Parlay up his fat arse, I am sure you can word it in a manner he will understand number one since you lived with them once."

It wasn't until Ianto bowed and left the room that Jack realised his anger had been directed at the last person he wanted to alienate and he cursed as he shoved at the nearest weapon, Owen seizing it.

Jack finally rose and followed intending to apologise but instead he found himself plastered against the wall as Gwen rubbed against him "Captain I was so taken with your speech earlier and I understand you are bringing law to those who need a firm hand. So rare to find a man willing to stand firm on uneven footing, Captain. I need to speak to you, I am concerned about the whispers I am hearing about the Catkind. Do you know they have their own secret meetings? We are worried. There are rumours of mutiny."

Jack left his office with his hair slightly tousled and his nerves frayed now heading the opposite direction to Ianto's quarters as he wanted to check out Gwen's claims for himself so he could scoff at her for her lies but as he stormed the room with three Security Guards his eyed fell on the man rising with confusion from the table, "Captain?"

"So. A meeting?" Jack asked with anger …. No …. He was embarrassed that she had called him out so easily and Ianto….Ianto…., "After all we have said you are behind this FO?"

Ianto frowned, "Pardon?"

"No. There will be no pardon. I was clear, not hidden agenda or meetings" Jack replied angrily as he tried to conceal his hurt feelings, "What the hell do you call this?"

"My Kit's Birthday Party" a feline said in a shrill wail of anger, "How dare you come into our home on the day of my daughter's birthday. I do not understand. We have been loyal, we did nothing wrong!"

"It's OK Gella, it's a misunderstanding" Ianto crooned, his hands out to soothe but she hissed and then spat.

"Get out, I see now that I was wrong to choose you as her Godfather. Go, go with the humans who you belong to like a good pet" she spat, her eyes flashing, "You bring such nastiness into the home of my Kit!"

Ianto slumped as he saw her finality and turned to bush past Jack who seized his arm with confusion, "What the hell is this?"

"This?" Ianto asked with deadly calm, "This is the home of my son's cousin and her family. No longer to be considered mine now. Thank you sir for removing the only blood family I have of his kind on board for his development. Perhaps next you want to take my son since he spends more time with your these days as well."

Jack let his hand drop, "Ianto …I…"

"It's FO to you Sir, at least until you demote me."

"Demote you?"

"Next time you place a hand on me I will put you on your arse" Ianto snarled, "I feel that it will initiate a court marshal and demotion. How dare you storm in here and undermine my place with my ….my son's kind. Perhaps we should step back from one another."

Ianto moved away and he slid out the door, then turned to say the words Jack had hoped not to hear, "In all aspects of our…. Relationship."


	14. Chapter 14

14

Ianto did not come to breakfast the next mooring and was polite yet frosty on the bridge. Jack felt it as Ianto did not look at him but at Gwen most of the shift then left with a short nod. Lunch was Ianto-free too. It was obvious to the crew that Ianto was eating in his room and when the evening meal seemed to be the same Jack left the Mess and walked to the quarters, politely waiting instead of simply entering as he had in the past.

Harrison opened the door with a look of hope that seemed to die, the whiskers drooping as he ushered Jack into the main room where Ianto was speaking with a large Tom.

"I simply feel it is best" Ianto was arguing, "I will not feel right in that role now."

"But we all agreed, it was a unanimous vote" the Tom rumbled deep in his chest, "We wanted you in our chair at the table."

"After this has died down I will again sit around the Table with you, but I will not represent you, not now I know the rumours" Ianto sighed, then turned to see Jack and Jack caught a flash of annoyance before the Tom turned as well.

"Captain, tell him!" the Tom demanded, "Tell him he is our spokesman, he represents us. A simple misunderstanding in the heat of the moment should not cost us a good head!"

"I will not be owned!" Ianto snapped, "I will not represent if it is used as a punishment when you are displeased with me! No. Chose one of your own, I was told quite clearly I am not one of you. Is my son not ostracised too? Or is it coincidence that he was left out of the morning clowder?"

"What do you mean, our Kats do not deny a clutch!" the Tom was aghast.

"Harrison, come here please love" Ianto demanded and the little one slid around the doorframe, "Harrison please tell Uncle… I mean Mister Velt what happened when you were all sent for morning snoozes."

"I went to go in the nest and they said I was not allowed" he whispered with shame, "They said I am not a Kat, just a human in a mask. They said their parents had talked about me and my Taddy and we were bad."

Ianto pulled Harrison to him, "Thank you love, I know you hate repeating things and I shall not ask again. I am proud of you. You are my Kat, all that matters."

Harrison nodded and slid away again as Ianto rubbed his face with annoyance, "Please inform the Kat Council that I have stepped down as their representative and accept that I am not a Kat but I resent my son being punished for something he wasn't even present at."

"I am angered" the Tom hissed, "I am rubbed wrong."

"As am I but there is no queen to soothe me, be glad you have one to go home to" Ianto flopped into the chair and waved a hand, suddenly small, "Go away. Everyone just go. Sorry Sir, I am off duty and have nothing left I want to do. Please. I am done."

Jack hesitated and Ianto flicked his head to show he was OK, then Jack turned to follow the Tom into the hallway, "Mister Velt, I wish to apologise to your council and kin for my blundering. I have had little training in Kat Lore and was totally to blame for the debacle. I am horrified that Ianto has been rejected for my actions and wish to apologise. Please how do I do that?"

"We do not need an apology, not when we need to apologise for our own reaction to the issue" Velt sighed, "He has been rubbed wrong and we need to show penance. It is a Catkind thing. He spent many years with us, married into us, even adopted the little one and transferred his religion to us only to have us act like scorned lovers once word got around you and he were becoming an item. He said he would never love another queen, he promised no other female would share his bed. You were not expected as a compromise."

"Wait, Ianto and I…. we are not lovers" Jack said with surprise, "Although I am immensely attracted to him he is still cool to my advances. I know he likes me, I know he finds me attractive but we've not even kissed!"

Velt reared back with surprise, "Really? We all were of the opinion you had chosen him as your mate."

"First Mate. It is a title, it is the nautical tern for a First Officer" Jack frowned, "I have two children and no mate, perhaps in time I will find a mate during our long journey. Is it unthinkable that it might be him?"

"You give me much to ponder and converse with the others with" Velt said as he began to move away, "It seems we have been letting poison drip into our ears. We have ….ah….how do you put it? Jumped the gun."

"I think the term is throwing the baby out with the bathwater" Jack replied, "But maybe closing the barn doors after the horse has bolted might fare better now."

Velt gave a chuff of amusement and headed back to the Kat Quarters and a night of talks.

Jack tried Ianto's door but found it locked.

He left him to lick his wounds, walking away as it occurred to him that he was thinking if him like a cat more and more even as Catkind seemed to turn away from him.

Hopefully not for much longer.

Someone was definitely undermining his FO.

And maybe him too?

He hoped Ianto knew what he was doing and vowed to remain on the agreed course, it was too late to back out of this now.

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OMG OK, I sm posting these extra two chaps to calm you down ... I do not want a blood veesel burst or something ... easy now ... method to the madness remember... breathe


	15. Chapter 15

15

"Dad?" Jack looked up from his Tablet to find his son standing there, "Why is Harrison not allowed here anymore?"

Jack leaned back, "Son, I never said he wasn't allowed. Who told you that?"

"The kids at school said he had fleas. He doesn't have fleas, right?" Stephen's little face was full of concern, "Can we help him?"

"Shit" Jack pulled Stephen into his lap, "Sweetheart, some people are being mean, that's all. Harrison is still your friend and we are still all friends. Some people are jealous of the friendship."

"But why? We can all be friends. They can join in too" Stephen said with that logic of the very young and innocent.

"We are human, he's a Kat. Some think we shouldn't be mixing" Jack explained, "They are wrong and stupid."

"So… can I go play at his?"

"Sure, come on I will walk you" he rose and checked Alice was OK with her governess still trying to get her to finish an essay, walking to the door he no longer had an access code for.

He knocked.

Harrison opened the door and his face lit up, a paw striking on the tunic of his friend and pulling him in to run off leaving the door open.

"Harrison? Was that the door?" Ianto called as he walked through from the kitchen and he froze.

"Hi. Stephen was missing him and apparently some of the kids are being arses" Jack said softly as he looked at Ianto in a blood red tunic that was so far from the uniform that he looked like he was stepping from the screen of a Vid-movie.

"Yes apparently there is a wee Daragone girl being treated to the 'cooties' game" Ianto frowned, "Harrison is too small to understand politics and prejudice."

"Same, Stephen asked if they wanted to join in to feel better" Jack smiled, "such nice wee hearts before they are poisoned."

"Actually he might have something there" Ianto turned to look after the children, "What about cadets?"

"Cadets?"

"Yes, why not Junior Cadets? We can have wee uniforms, titles and such" Ianto smiled as he explained, "An elite group with their own table in the Mess? Gotta be someone to get a chair? How many currently being mean will want to wear a little insignia for the honour of their family? Explain to their Grups why they can't?"

"Ianto! What a great idea!" Jack enthused, "Maybe one night a week they get a private meal with the flight crew, once a week they are allowed on the bridge for a while. Yes! Everyone will want to be part of it, we make Harrison the first one along with mine and a handful of those still loyal and things will change!"

Ianto canted his head "Glad you think so Sir."

"Ianto please, please forgive me but I think we took this too far as I feel horrible" Jack sighed as he slumped into the chair he liked best, "You know I can be a silly human with big emotions and little room left in the brain for logic. I made the so called mistake like you told me to and am horrified. I have apologised to the family loudly in the Mess and sent a little gift for the little one that will be talked about and your cousin was so fierce even I believed it, I hope I did right there. Please forgive me but I am finding this hard to do. It was fortuitous that you found a way to use this to our advantage but the negativity is crushing."

Ianto sighed and rubbed his face, "I am just disappointed that it has happened but I guess if logic must prevail then I need to accept that sooner or later roadblocks will present themselves. When you come to a wall in the road you either see it as a stop to go around or something to climb over. I have always strived to climb, not go the long way around. We must keep the course Captain and pray for fairer weather ahead. I want to crush her before she undermines everything. She is not this mission, she can not be allowed to hijack it."

"Good, I agree" Jack grinned.

Ianto smiled softly and Jack knew he was beig given permission to drop the pretence, the relief on his face as he reached over to touch Ianto's knee gently, "Is this a smackable offence?"

"Stop it!" Ianto scolded, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled.

"Oh?" Jack slid to the edge of the chair and let his hand rest on Ianto's thigh, "they all think we are lovers. That's why the Kats are pissed, not my storming thing at all. I told Velt, I explained that we are platonic but if we decide to take things further it is none of their business."

"Did you now" Ianto leaned back with a superior sniff and Jack saw the mirth hidden under the scowl.

"Yes, I told them I would very much like to rub you any way I can, right or wrong" Jack waggled his eyebrows and then frowned.

"Is that eyebrow doing that thing again?" Ianto sighed.

"I do believe it is" Jack had laughter in his voice now.

"Well now, it is getting ahead of itself here" Ianto scowled, "Damned thing. It must be the luscious arse you waggle at me all the time. I am such a sucker for a lovely arse."

"Takes one to know one"

Ianto's eyebrow rose as he canted his head more, "Really, and I thought it was my conversation."

"Oh, I want to get way beyond just talking Mister Jones" Jack said softly, his hand squeezing the thigh as he spoke, "I hope we find other ways of talking altogether."

Ianto's blush was a wonderful surprise.

.

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OK? So now you see ... this is a rouse to make Gwen think she is winning and as we will discover, Jack is too human for the Gorgan reasoning sometimes. They are forcing Gwen to show herself before she can do too much damage ... we hope


	16. Chapter 16

16

Jack heard them coming, his excitement palpable as the children entered the Bridge led by Ianto "And here is the Bridge. Captain?"

"Ah, yes. Hello Cadets" Jack gushed as he slid from the chair to the floor and addressed the little Dragone girl, "and I must say Clarice, you look so fine in that colour."

She was overjoyed to get the attention of the Captain as the others crowded around and Ianto took the chair as Jack led them to his Ready Room for some High tea.

"He is such a natural with kids" Gwen said and Ianto deliberately didn't look in her direction, "He needs a good woman in his life though, such a long flight to be alone."

"Good thing you have your Rhys to keep you warm" a voice muttered and Ianto turned his head to look at young Andy Davidson who sat at his engine controls with a scowl, "Nice bloke that."

Gwen bristled and leaned over, "And he's mine. I don't share!"

"Then stop trying to share yourself" Andy retorted and Ianto made a noise in his throat to pull them back to task, his finger tapping as he contacted his cousin for an update on Ms Cooper's extracurricular activities as it were. As he had feared, she was still part of the Humans for Humanity meetings and they were now every night, after her shift. This message told Ianto several things, not the least being the fact they were working around her life. This meant she was of standing.

Damn.

"Ms Cooper?"

"Yes Mister Jones?"

"The Captain is going to ask for a fresh Tunic before he retakes the chair. I usually get it for him but the children might see you in a more friendly light if you get it for him after all things are still frosty between us" Ianto said and she rushed to do so, opening the locker to retrieve a spare tunic and finding the clip board sitting neatly on the floor of the locker.

It was a test.

One Ianto had set and one she failed as she snatched it up and eagerly read the false information, pulling out her pocket tablet to take notes and then she flounced back past Ianto with the tunic and into the Ready Room, "Captain, your Tunic for afternoon announcements."

"Ah, thank you Ms Cooper" Jack said with surprise.

She flounced off again and Ianto pretended not to see her leave the Bridge without permission yet again. He had hoped she had learnt something but sighed as he watched Mainframe's icon move in the corner of the Vid-screen showing he was not the only one monitoring the naughty Ms Cooper.

Jack emerged some time later with the children, his face glowing as he cuddled a little Kat and they all thanked him politely, Harrison going over to look at his Taddy. Ianto lifted his son to his knee, "See? This is what the Captain sees."

"COOL"

"Taddy loves you" Ianto whispered so low that only his son could hear, then he placed him back on his feet and resumed the air of indifference as Harrison skipped over to take Alice's hand with open glee.

Jack waved them off and spun to face Ianto, "Did you see the little Bollian? I thought they only came out for the night shift!"

"Apparently the Cadets are worth a daytime jaunt" Ianto replied softly and Jack smiled as Ianto rose gracefully to relinquish the chair, "Their Grups are proud."

"And the other Grup?"

"Has done as I feared, we played it correctly" Ianto replied softly, "She is heading for the lower level as we speak, Mainframe watching as she does. I so believe she is heading for one of the meetings we have Mainframe monitoring."

"Damn it" Jack sighed as he leaned back and rubbed his face.

"Captain, you cannot be seen to be weak, you must maintain the upper hand or you might have an uprising" Ianto warned.

"Tell me something I don't know" Jack snorted as he steeled himself for a showdown.

"I was offered the position of Captain too"

Jack gaped as Ianto canted his head, "Huh?"

"I was offered the position, I knew you were short listed, I liked your file and I told them I would second you but would not take the helm because I knew there would be civil unrest as well as serious backlash on the planet due to my mixed race. I had faith in you" Ianto whispered, "I still do Jack."

"They asked you first"

"Yes, and they asked you next. I was relieved to say the least." Ianto smiled softly, "Your military record is amazing, I have served under you in a support vessel. I knew you hadn't recognised me, we only spoke via closed coms so you didn't know what I looked like but there is a medal we both wear that we earned in the same manoeuvre. I followed you then, I follow you now."

"And we must move forward" Jack nodded as he accepted the truth, "You're right. Gwen has never walked in step, has she. As painful as this game has been I see now how committed she was to causing dissent between us. I had hoped she would stop once she thought she had won but clearly not. But… why. This will not end well, will it?"

"Sorry sir, no" Ianto confirmed, "Her agenda was preset. I wonder if she was not placed here for that purpose. She is dangerous, as are those in her inner circle."

Jack smiled softly as he reassured Ianto, "Don't worry. I am all about breaking things, just ask my kids. I break stuff all the time. A Secret Circle? Bah. I'll break that shit."

Ianto's canted eyebrow showed his amusement.


	17. Chapter 17

17

Jack knew the plan and he walked to the storage area with a heavy heart, Ianto already there with Engine Room Security in tow, the only ones he trusted fully.

The Humans for Humanity even had quaint little arm bands on and Jack now recognised seeing them about the vessel and not registering them as some sort of brand, now he stood glaring at them with open animosity as Ianto reached out to tear one off an arm as the man yelped with shock at the vicious action of a usually dower man.

Ianto swung to address a large lizard-like man, "Herl, take this and show the others. I want every person with one of these displayed rounded up and placed in the main room for the Captain to address please."

The man bowed and slid off, three others following and Ianto glowered some more.

Jack then looked into the room and knew before his eyes settled on her that he would find Gwen, her arms folded defiantly as her cogs whirred with such speed he could practically smell smoke coming form her ears, "Captain, may I have a word?"

"If it's about your infiltrating this lot to be our eyes and ears they have probably worked it out by now or soon will when you start your debrief and they start getting jettisoned into space like I keep threatening" Ianto said calmly and Jack fought the urge to snort at the man's moxie to bluff like that.

As those around her slowly turned she gaped with horror, Ianto having placed her in an impossible position and she made a noise in her throat, "Captain. You know I am loyal and…well…."

"Come now Ms Cooper, you don't need to be with the dissidents now" Jack said in a condescending tone, "you can come away now and tell me all their names. We need to be sure we get them all."

Gwen shot from the room and clutched at Jack, "You know I did this for us, right? We needed eyes on them"

"Fucking bitch" a voice growled and Gwen swung to glare into the room.

"Who said that, step forward, Captain did you hear that?" she roared.

"Actually, as Ms Cooper had me placed in a holding cell with my attackers until my innocence was proven, maybe we should do the same. After all, they might feel safer with her there to show the entire hold is not about to be opened." Ianto said and Gwen whimpered as she clutched at Jack's tunic.

"Gwen, you are going to stretch the fabric" Jack frowned as he pushed her away, "If you have nothing to add…"

"A bomb" she blurted and several shouted at her now, their anger forcing them to surge towards her even as Ianto raised the shock stick and put one down, looking over his convulsing body at the others.

"What bomb?"

"In one of the upper class steerage quarters, they've built a bomb" she simpered, now hiding her face from those hissing and spitting at her for being a traitor, "I don't know which one but apparently they are going to move it before the Children's Play so it can blow the area for the Dragones and Catkind behind the Mess."

Ianto paled, turning to face Jack who was already ordering a sweep.

"We can't" Ianto said with a soft sigh, "They are not all here, their servants are. When they don't return they will know they are rumbled and will either set it off or hide it."

"So what do you suggest Number One?"

"We locked this lot down right? We do a sweep under the pretence of something else…..ah….Mainframe. Please change Atmo in the Upper Class Steerage, double the temperature" Ianto demanded and Jack pointed a finger at him.

"Right they will have to evacuate and we go in under the pretence of maintenance … good one. They will go for that?" Jack asked.

"Of cause, apparently we live to serve them so appearing on their doorstep while there is a mechanical problem and offering they move to the nice air conditioned cargo hold where we already have their staff we have rounded up would sound right" Ianto nodded "By the time they get there and are alerted to the fact we have rumbled their attempt to mutiny we will have already sorted the problem."

"Clever one you"

"My mother thought so" Ianto smiled, then straightened up. "So, I shall lead the security team, yes? You should be seen to be in total control and aware of all the moves within this dangerous game."

"Agreed" Jack nodded, glad for the guidance he so needed from someone he could count on. To wach Ianto flawlessly bend the truth and 'almost' lie told Iack he had overlooked those other splotches of DNA in his FO as he was not acting Gorgan at all. Nope. And Jack liked it.

They moved to their appointed places, Jack to the Captains Chair to oversee the evacuation as Ianto and 'Maintenance' went to 'fix' the problem with the Atmo.

Jack watched the corner of the screen that showed Gwen was sulking in the Cargo Bay where she was in a livestock cage to protect her from her cohorts and Jack watched as she suddenly smiled.

He had a bad feeling in the pit of his gut.


	18. Chapter 18

18

Of course Ianto was right, they flounced to their waiting 'private bay' where they settled on the makeshift sofas and complained that there were no areas for their pets.

Ianto began to hunt once Mainframe confirmed there were no living creatures detected in the two levels. Jack watched anxiously as each room was swept and ticked off, Ianto pausing to speak to Jack via the coms, "Nothing so far. The temperature is dropping slightly but Mainframe still can't narrow down anything giving off any energy."

"So, old fashioned chemical bomb?" Jack surmised.

"Well the time still needs…..shit. Shit" Ianto started to move fast, "Evacuate the levels, I want all of you out. What if it doesn't have a timer, it has a fuse. They may have set it when they left, this may have been a trap."

Jack rose from the chair with horror, "Mister Jones, get out of there, all of you."

They were heading for the bulkhead doors when Mainframe chimed and Ianto faltered, slowing his footsteps, "Sound off."

 _ **I have detected a heat area that is not dissipating. I calculate a ninety eight percent chance that it is a chemical reaction occurring against my hull**_

Ianto turned and began to run, "show me Franny, light the way."

"Ianto!" Jack cried with fear "No, get out and let her vent the entire level."

"Captain, if it is a chemical reaction it may not need oxygen to breech the hull" Ianto answered as he slammed against a wall, bounced off and kept gonging.

Jack didn't know what to do.

"Captain, perhaps you should warn everyone of the possibility of a bit of a bang if I don't get to it in time" Ianto said gently as if hearing Jack's panic and Jack nodded gaining strength. Yes. Focus.

Jack made a ship wide announcement that there was a malfunction in the heating duct that might cause some venting as he warned everyone to remain in airtight areas, no travelling.

"Ianto?" he said softly, "Are you OK?"

"Almost there Jack" Ianto noted the drop of decorum and agreed that this was no time to be prim, "I can feel heat. I think….yes. The Duke. Son of a whore. OK, I'm in, are we sealed?"

"Ianto, are you safe?"

"Don't be silly Jack, of course not" Ianto sounded almost amused, "I can feel it, behind some sort of….shit. Jack, seal this room, I am retreating to the corridor once I have covered this box with hard setting hull foam, seal this room, as I retreat seal each door behind me, it might help lessen the impact."

"What?"

"Jack, it's almost done…you know….three, two …. one?" Ianto puffed as he emptied the can of Hull Hardener over the container in the hopes it might lessen the power of it then ran, each door slamming and sealing as Mainframe fought to cut the cancer from her bulk before it could take her with it and Ianto tripped, falling into a corridor as the explosion tore at the hull, the sound not unlike that of a wounded beast screaming with rage and pain as the Torchwood shuddered and swung to port.

"FUCK!" Andy roared as he struggled to re-establish flight control and Jack wished Ianto were beside him but he had to be strong as he rose to address the crew, barking orders as he frantically waited to hear from Ianto.

Ten minutes turned into half an hour, the sixty minutes later Jack stood at the doors, "Mainframe, open them."

"Captain she can't" Tosh said sadly, "Her sensors were damaged in there, she doesn't know if there is Atmo. Opening it might place us all in danger."

"Then you will all evacuate behind the next set of airtight doors and I will open this alone" Jack said sternly, "Someone get me an Atmo suit. I am not leaving him there, he has a child. How do I look at Harrison and know he didn't get a chance to mourn?"

Jack was soon suited and booted, waiting for the clicks of the airlock then he took a deep breath and clumsily opened the door, expecting the hiss that heralded loss of pressure. Ianto lay inside the door as if he had been crawling towards it and Jack knew he had locked it from that side, his last act one to protect the vessel. Jack gathered him up and noted the warmth, then he looked around and noted something else.

A dog sat nearby watching him, a tail wagging gently.

Jack pulled off his mask and looked at Ianto more closely, also seeing the colour to his cheeks.

"Ianto?"

He checked and found a pulse, also a patch of blood near his temple and Jack looked over at the dog with interest.

"Tell me boy, did you trip him up or did the air get thin higher up?"

 _ **The air thinned and he failed, had he crawled at the same level as the dog he would not have lost consciousness**_

"Thank you Mainfr….wait. You knew?" Jack looked up at the ceiling, "Did you know he was safe all along?"

 _ **Yes Captain, but I calculated his worth might be more to some if they were made aware of his sacrifice he was willing to make**_

Jack snorted as he agreed.

No one would doubt his First Officer's loyalty to them now.

And he would not doubt Mainframe's AI reasoning either.


	19. Chapter 19

19

Jack walked the hallway with Ianto in his arms, so light for such a tall man and he wondered if Ianto ever really ate. If not for the fact they shared mealtimes he might have been less sure of it at all.

Crew members watched Jack pass, his face serene as Ianto started to rouse and let his arms snake around Jack's neck and soon word had spread that Ianto had survived. Owen was ready, waiting in Ianto's quarters as Jack entered and Harrison yowled with fear as he saw his father looking delicate for the first time in his little life.

"It's OK love" Jack assured him, "Your Taddy is going to be OK, he just needs some rest for a while."

Harrison followed them into the bedroom and Jack lowered Ianto to the bed, owlish eyes blinking back at him as Jack smiled softly and helped remove the tunic, "What a hero you are Mister Jones. Do you know that Harrison? Your Taddy saved The Torchwood today. Saved all of us."

"What will happen?" Harrison crawled up the bed and snuggled against Ianto who hummed sleepily and pulled him in, the dog jumping up next and they all stared at it.

"Um… he was with you" Jack said with a shrug and Harrison squealed with glee as he shuffled down the bed.

"A real doggie" Harrison enthused, "Can I take him to show Stevie and Ali?"

"Sure" Jack shrugged, "Go on then, you can sleep over if ya like, it that OK Ianto?"

"Yeah, sure thing Captain Yummy Pants" Ianto sighed as he snuggled into his pillow and Jack blinked, then sniggered as he repeated to himself 'Captain Yummy Pants' and he pulled the covers over Ianto, leading Owen from the room.

Andy was waiting in the main room with a handful of officers, their faces stern and Jack had hoped to have Ianto here for this but he knew time was of the essence.

"We are turning the vessel" he said calmly, "We are going to hasten to the Final Outpost instead of the slow orbit of the third moon first and we are going to get the last of the supplies we need, dump our rubbish and then I want to fly as fast as this lady can move away from our past."

"By rubbish, do you mean our Cargo Hold Trash?" Officer Swanson asked with her arms folded.

"Yes" Jack said shortly.

"Some of them paid handsomely" Marcus from Security warned and Jack shrugged.

"And what are they gonna do about it? Sue us? Good luck with that, I would love to have someone knock on the outer hull doors to serve a subpoena" Jack laughed softly.

"Jack?"

Jack swung to find Ianto standing there looking confused, his trousers still on but his tunic off and just a soft white t-shirt on that hugged his body, "What's going on?"

"Hey. You need to rest."

"We need to sort the shit out" Ianto said as he staggered to his favourite chair and flopped in it, "Can we all sit down? I hate people seeming taller than me."

They all sat and Ianto rubbed at his face like a small child, prompting Jack to sit on the arm of the chair and lean back across the high back of the chair, in effect he was covering Ianto and it did not even cross his mind that everyone saw the ownership and acceptance as Ianto leaned against the warm body as he yawned.

"Right, we cannot allow this sort of behaviour and I think this should be seen as a chance to make a stand" Jack said as his hand slid to Ianto's shoulder, pulling him in as he rubbed his shoulder and arm affectionately, the man so sweet.

"Well, I vote we jettison them like the FO said" Andy said with glee, "But I guess we can dump them at the outpost. Only…what. Six months for them to get home?"

"There is no vessel with the capacity Torchwood has for speed, the design was awarded for that, the prototype was the only thing to match before it was scrapped" Jack agreed, "It will be months before a rescue boat can come scoop them up so they can get back to Sol3, for all the good it will do them to sit and watch the world die around them."

"We will be travelling light" another pointed out.

"We can see who wants to come from the Outpost" Ianto yawned, "All underprivileged there with nowhere else to go, wanting to survive. Some with families, I bet some of them will kill to get a chance on here. They would be loyal too, grateful like. Spacers with a good grasp of the outer planets, might be useful come trading."

"Good, yes" Jack nodded, watching Toshiko enter and head straight for Ianto, "Hey Toshi, are we looking good?"

"The breach is contained, three staterooms damaged. If we spend a week in the dry-dock at the Outpost we can not only get her patched up I think we can replenish and we now know that Hull Sealant is better than advertised so we should take as much of that as we can."

"We also need to account for the children" Ianto said as he came back to life "We will breed before we reach….um…whatever ….you know, that Cargo Bay we have the pricks in would be a great play area. We never thought of that, we have a pool, golf course….even a bloody Horse arena but just a barren space for the kids to mess up, we should have thought of that. Keep it separate to the school room. Throw in old sofas and such."

"Agreed" Jack nodded knowing full well Ianto had raised morale with a positive task even as he had pushed the decision to leave the dissidents behind in the 'Done and Dusted' pile.


	20. Chapter 20

20

The Torchwood limped into the Dry Dock and the clamps locked in with loud bangs as she powered down and gave herself to the Outpost Crew who were already pouring over the massive hole with excitement.

"We've not have a damaged vessel for about three years, they are so happy to have some work" the boss said as he welcomed them, his clothing old and rustic with weird buttons sewn on for decoration. Dead Spacers go a little nuts out in the black, this old man was no exception and he noted the tall Gorgan's polite nod to the Captain as he slid past and said Captain's open wink.

"We can get her done in a couple of days" he said to the tall lithe man who was clearly the First Officer as the others nodded politely to him as they disembarked. Ten. He frowned as he wondered where all the passengers were.

"This was a Terrorist act" Ianto began as he waved a hand at the hull damage, "Those responsible are in a secure hold and we want to dump them on you."

"Shit balls." The man laughed, "Direct aren't you."

"I am Gorgan" Ianto replied as if it said it all and the man nodded as indeed it did make sense.

"They are arseholes who thought they would overthrow me and have control of the boat and crew like they were fucking loyalty" Jack spoke Spacer is seemed as his voce became deeper and his language more colourful, the old man responding with delight as he detected hints of Boeshanninan in the vowels.

"We have quarantined the vessel, not because of you but because of them. We do not want the passengers to see the extent of the damage, I believe it would only upset them and terrify the children. We have declared those wanting to leave a free pass to do so and I believe a handful have requested they be dropped here with the Duke and his…" Ianto was cut off.

"Duke" the old man spat, "Not out here he's not."

"My point exactly" Ianto nodded sagely, "So can you accommodate them until their Rescue Vessels come for them? I am sure you can work out some….fee…for your time and food?"

Now the old man focused, his brain kicking into high gear as he realised he was being offered a true opportunity to make credits.

"Food, beds, pricks will want servants as we are keeping them and they will play up merry hell about everything" Jack nodded, "I think you will make a pretty penny, especially if they can only contact Sol3…once a week? Only on your personal coms? Might have to ration it, might be pricey…prone to cutting out?"

The old man swung, motioning to one of his men, "Go lock down all coms, only my office to remain open. We can make a few credits here if we play this right. Also, get more security here I think we are gonna have some fireworks."

"For the duration of our stay we will remain on board so we don't accidentally kill one with our bare hands" Ianto said calmly and the old man grinned, "We will have a list of things we need and I think that since they damaged her, they need to pay for her. Just start a tab and they can get it when they finally leave your wonderful care."

"I like him" the old man swung to address Jack, "He's unusual."

"An Enigma" Jack agreed, "Quite unexpected."

"Yeah, right. Get the toffs out first so they can collapse and wail or whatever first" the old man huffed, "looks like my crew are already working."

They all looked up at the hole to find robots crawling over the fuselage with blowtorches and hunks of salvaged hull from an old Junker sitting nearby.

"Chula" Jack said sadly, "That's an old ambulance right?"

"Yeah, built to last. Your patch will be the strongest part of her by the time we are done" the old man nodded.

"May we purchase the entire thing instead of bothering you to try and work out percentages?" Ianto asked politely, "It might be a nice toy for the children to play in if we move it into the hold. We won't need the outer hull which is going on the Torchwood. The kids can sit in a pilot's seat and play with switches and pretend they are flying her. Mainframe might even set up some flight simulations in it or something on a wee screen for a pretend viewer. Toshiko would love a challenge like that."

"Sounds good, we skin her and let you have the innards." The old man nodded, "Clever. Yes. Rare."

"Pardon?"

"Firebird in there!" he pointed a finger, "Gorgan Firebird and something else. A spark of something old, very old. You are dangerous. Perfect for a First Officer."

"Why thank you, most kind of you to say so" Ianto bowed deeply and the man chuffed with delight as Jack canted his head.

"He is mine…I mean, My FO" Jack said with a frown, "I'll not trade him."

Now laughter rang out around him as those listening saw Ianto's slow blink while turning to regard his posturing Captain. The old man slapped at his knee and roared with mirth.

Ianto hid a rare blush moments after Jack caught it and Jack smiled softly as Ianto rushed back up the gangplank.

He hadn't corrected him.


	21. Chapter 21

21

Ianto did not witness the meltdowns, neither did Jack who agreed it would hurt more to be disembarked by Engine Room Crew who enjoyed the looks of horror and disgust from the toffs as they filed past, then realised they were being greeted by far worse.

The Outpost Crew had turned out in full dress, looking like something form a Space Horror Movie complete with weird weapons on display. Seems the Old Man had stirred them up and they were ready to have some fun.

"Wait" a woman said with horror, "My pets, where are my little munchkins?"

"Your two fluffs are in quarantine" the Old Man told her imperiously, "As you own then you are too. Take her to one of the holding cells and lock her in with those things. I think within a week we will know if they are contagious!"

She shrieked as she was hauled off and the Old Man watched the Chula Ambulance get hefted up into the open Cargo Bay. He was glad to be rid of it, it had sat for years and he even threw in the equipment that had been in it as he saw some little faces at windows looking out and waving on the lower levels of the vessel which came to the same height as his high office. They all looked lovely wee things.

Torchwood was the largest Ship he had ever seen, lush and so pretty. Mainframe had threatened to fry his Outpost if he tried to hack her again and he found that amusing to find such an advanced AI capable of playing.

He almost wished he was going but he was too old and loved this place too much. His son however, was a different matter. The Captain had happily accepted his son and daughter-in-law into the passenger manifest, his heart heavy as his granddaughter waved excitedly, too little to realise she would never see him again.

His sister's girl went too, her wife and their three hatchlings eager to take part on what would be a future beyond anything he could offer. He had comfort in the two children that stayed with their families, the comfort also that they were going together and the Captain had assured him there would be no cost for their tickets. It was a relief to find the handful of crew also dumped were happy to keep to themselves, it was almost as if they were not there after a while.

Jack watched the large screen as their new passengers came onboard, Ianto's hand warm on his shoulder as Ianto leaned in to whisper "Their kids look cute."

"Yeah, they are armed too" Andy called back with glee, "Little savages!"

Jack laughed, "Well, it will stir things up a bit."

"That was nice of him to let us have so much tat for the children's Hold" Toshiko said as she sat at her workbench, "Mainframe is working on some flights to play them from Sol 3, will be good so they can grow up seeing where they came from. She will include the rivers, great lakes and some of the old cities and famous landmarks they can pretend to fly amongst."

"I know you would make it perfect" Jack smiled, and then he pointed with shock, "What the hell is that?"

"I believe it is a goat" Ianto canted his head, "Good garbage disposals. We have some little ones on the Farm Level, that is a large breed. Ah … Angora? I believe their fleece can be harvested like sheep, spun to make clothing."

"Really?" Jack asked with interest as another large fuzzy goat appeared.

"We have a farm level?" Owen asked as he leaned against Tosh's desk, "really?"

"Yes, Level eleven" Ianto informed him.

"Huh, I'm gonna go look" Owen said as he took off and Andy shot from his chair then froze as he remembered where he was.

"Ah…permission to leave the bridge sir."

"Go on then, go find some baby animals to squeeze" Jack grinned as he watched Andy take off. He watched Andy's second bow and take his place, the reptilian hands adjusting the controls to suit Hr different hands.

"We disembark in T minus Twenty Sir" Hr said.

"Thank you Ensign Kllllllllib" Jack said hopping he had drawn out the L long enough and Ianto's' gentle squeeze reassured him that he had. Jack resisted the urge to reach up and cover said hand with his own knowing Ianto didn't realise what he was doing.

Since their fright it seems an unspoken agreement had been reached that thy move forward with the mission with matching footfalls. It felt….nice.

"I can't wait to get out of here" Ianto said softly and Jack grunted his agreement as Ianto looked down at the controls in the Captain's chair, "Looks like the final Cargo Doors are sealed now Captain. We just need the say so from Mainframe that the outer hull doors are sealed and we can blow this popsicle stand."

"My gods, I've not heard that one since I was a small girl" Jack said jokingly and Ianto blinked then snorted with mirth as he shook his head. Toshiko glanced over in time to see Ianto grin widely at Jack before schooling his features to the usual bland stare once more.

Things had certainly changed.

As Torchwood floated gently into the black Gwen stood with her hands clasped together to hide her anger.

This was not the end of things.

Not by a fucking long shot!


	22. Chapter 22

22

"Ianto, are you free to dine at mine tonight?" Jack asked as Ianto went to leave the bridge and Ianto turned to answer him, the flight crew frozen with shock at the familiarity being shown. It seems leaving Gwen behind had lifted the weight for everyone.

"Yes, well, yes." Ianto fumbled with the door latch, his face flushing as he looked down and then looked back at Jack, "We made the right move, right? With her?"

"Yes. I feel deeply that she is a threat. If she had stayed we would have failed sooner or later" Jack replied, "Her mate feels the same, the poor man seemed relived the arranged marriage is over."

"Arranged" Andy repeated softly and Ianto suddenly remembered where they were, his eyes widening and then to Jack's delight Ianto gave a bark of laughter.

"Well we have passed the last marker, we are now officially off the reservation" Ianto said to those looking at him intently, "It's time you all learned that I am Gorgan but I am also part human. I hide it as it was discouraged at the facility I was mostly raised in but it seems our Captain is bringing out the more … human side of me."

"Gorgan, so…you have percentages already calculated right?"Jack asked with a look of glee, "Tell me then Mister Jones, what are my numbers?"

Ianto seemed to consider and then said calmly, "Twenty percent intelligence, ten percent naughtiness for the sake of misbehaving, ten percent innocence, another fifteen percent intuitive and …that leaves thirty five percent."

"Yes?" Jack asked, not at all insulted by the insinuation that he was a bloody pirate.

"Thirty five percent sheer sexuality" Ianto said with his face blushing. He crew catcalled and laughed as Jack grinned.

"Mister Jones, are you telling me that of all the things you see in me, the one you give the most percentage to is my lusty sexiness?"

Ianto blinked, "Yes sir. I find you damningly irresistible and if I give in to your obvious advances I may burn in the seventh realm of hell."

Jack sniggered, "And do you think it would be worth such heat?"

"I fear an evening of wanton debauchery with you would give that small percentage of human DNA some sort of kick start and as humans imbibe everything like a virus I will find myself farting in public and openly swaggering while adjusting my junk and asking for attention."

"I don't adjust my junk" Jack said with a sniff, "It just does its own thing."

Ianto canted his head, "Well, it does seem to have a mind of its own sir, I do give you that. If you were female I might have thought you were giving birth and it was a small child trying to grab my arse when you pass me on the hall."

"Well, I don't know if I should be insulted or excited" Jack rose from the chair, "Does this mean that if I pressure you for a cuddle you might feel obligated? Like… you might be unable to deny your own animalistic urge to lick me?"

"Lick you?" Ianto's eyebrow joined the conversation as Jack swaggered over to stand in front of him, "You assume you taste good too?"

"Well, do you want to know?"

Ianto seem to stare a hole into Jack's forehead then he smiled softly, his face transforming him into a handsome man, "Yes Jack, I would very much like to see if our bodies fit together as well as our minds do."

"So, a nice meal just the two of us? The heathen spawn can have theirs in their room and have a big sleepover?" Jack asked, "Candles and wine ... chocolate?"

"I don't imbibe the cocoa" Ianto reminded him and Jack snorted.

"bullshit, sorry but I call bullshit. You do, your people do" Jack smiled and Ianto sighed.

"For special occasions."

"It is! You and me, it is!" Jack said earnestly.

"OK, fine. I shall bring flowers, you can cook. I don't cook" Ianto said and Jack gaped.

"Hang on, did I just become the woman? Does that make me the wife?" Jack squeaked as some laughed softly.

"I don't know sir, too early to tell but you might be" Ianto said softly, Jack feeling his innards turning to mush as Ianto leaned in and whispered, "I think you would be a good wife for me."

Jack remained where he was as he took a deep breath to steady himself and Ianto walked from the room with his usual calm, Jack then turned to face the crew.

"Did you just hear that? Did we just agree to a date?"

"Yes Captain, well done" Andy said as Jack looked around the room.

"I think I was just made the wife though!" Jack frowned and Andy sniggered.

"Well, that means he does the dishes if he wants a bit, right? He brings the flowers, compliments you and you get to look pretty" Andy pointed out and Jack considered.

"Well, I think I will take that under advisement Mister Davison" Jack said happily, "My gods, I knew he was cheeky but it's going to be fun if he is going to drop formality now."

"About time" Owen said from Tosh's station "You know he's a bloody nutta."

"Yeah" Jack sighed happily, "wonderful isn't he."


	23. Chapter 23

23

Ianto was early, of course he was and Jack was not ready. He kicked himself as he should have known Ianto would be on time or early, Gorgon after all. Ianto used his code to enter the Berth and he walked to his favourite living room chair, settling himself to look over at the mantelpiece and the box that sat there.

Lucinda.

The children had told Harrison who of course had asked him about it, his own mother gone and his mind confused as to why they might want her in a wee box like jewellery or something. He had explained about ashes and the reverence some people have for their loved ones and their remains. Now he looked at the portrait and saw little Alice in the woman's smile, even as she clearly had Jack's eyes. Pretty.

"I'll just change" Jack raced past with his apron flapping, his tunic open and flapping as well and Ianto found the domestic scene fitting. Jack was carrying a large tray of food that was clearly for the children given the three cups and jug of drink in the middle, cries of glee wafting out of their room as Jack entered then shot back past to his room to change.

Ianto was touched that Jack was making an effort and he looked around with new interest as he noted that Jack had also cleaned. He picked up a book, surprised to find old fashioned paper and also excited to see that it was a Sherlock Holmes story.

"You're reading Hound of the Baskervilles?" Ianto called out and Jack poked his head out, his hair a mess.

"I love it, the idea of running through the grass with a big thing after you. Sort of like the simulator for a Seberon Attack." Jack said then disappeared.

"I've seen one" Ianto said and Jack's head reappeared.

"A Baskerville hound?"

Ianto laughed, "No. I've seen the moors of Dartmoor where it was set but no, I mean a Seberon."

Jack came out with his face shiny from washing, "Really? Yeah? Are they as big as the simulation?"

"Yes, it was a female and she was terrifying. Her jaws seemed larger than the sim but that may have been personal perception" Ianto smiled, rising to walk over and do up the fresh tunic with gentle fingers.

"You are an unusual man" Jack said softly, "Most want to get me out of my clothes, not put me in them."

Ianto laughed as he looked Jack in the eye, "Maybe later sir."

"I hope you are hungry, shit. You're not a vegan are you? Gorgons are not, right?" Jack asked once he got himself under control, "Harrison is a happy meat eater."

Ianto smiled, "I like meat."

Jack bit back the retort he felt bubbling up and instead looked at the coffee table and the paper flowers, "Oh my gods, you did get flowers."

"Origami" Ianto said with glee as he watched Jack pick them up and smell them, "Scented."

"Wow. I mean…wow."

"The food smells good, what are we having then?" Ianto asked as he walked through to the table, touched to see a fresh cloth and electronic candles.

"I managed to wangle some fresh Perk" Jack said and Ianto blinked as the hybrid pig meat was rare and considered a delicacy on many planets.

"Our Outpost Friends?"

"When I said I intended wooing you they offered it" Jack said and Ianto smiled.

"Wooing?" he asked, "You intend to woo?"

"Oh yes" Jack confirmed, "Definitely worth wooing."

"The Brig is my Godfather you know" Ianto said as he chose a seat and Jack looked over at him with interest as he carved the beast "When I said I was not comfortable Captaining he recommended you. He asked me to second you, told me you would be a challenge for me. I took it to mean that in an intellectual way. Obviously the old bugger meant something else, saw our similar mindset."

"Ianto, we have the rest of our lives to be friends, more I hope and to find a common comfort. I really want a relationship with you" Jack said as he settled in his chair and watched Ianto sniff his food, his nose wrinkling like a cat. Catkind.

Ianto was catlike, obviously the time spent with Catkind had changed him and Jack knew he was the one reaping the benefits as Ianto hummed and took a mouthful of meat into his mouth. They ate in relative silence which seemed fine too, Jack surprised to find himself comfortable without the need to fill the silence with talk, Ianto's soft humming preferable to listen to anyway.

"Well, that was wonderful. It has been a long time since someone cooked for me. The Mess has been my only place other than my own sparse offerings of course. I never learnt to cook properly, just the fish pie and things Harry likes." Ianto sat back and relaxed more, Jack seeing how lonely his life must be, just existing for his son and was again reminded that Ianto had been doing so a lot longer than him.

"I would ask you to stay but I know you are a gentleman" Jack said grandly, wanting to give Ianto and out and the soft blush was worth the bluff.

"Perhaps some music to help it go down first?"

Jack could have punched the air.


	24. Chapter 24

24

Jack was comfortable on the sofa with this man he now knew he wanted as more than just a colleague and he also knew it was a mutual feeling as Ianto casually leaned in and placed his lips against Jack's and the kiss was both soft and affectionate, Jack's hands automatically cupping Ianto's face to lengthen the kiss.

Greedy.

When Ianto finally gently pulled away there is a soft gasp for air and then a soft chuff of amusement, "I knew you would be dangerous."

"And you are something I never thought I might find" Jack replied with a sigh, "Please tell me you felt that too, right?"

"Yes" came a breathy reply, "I take it the bedroom is back there?"

"Shit" Jack struggled from the sofa and staggered towards his bedroom, not even looking back as he knew Ianto was right behind him, a warm hand on the small of his back comfortably urging him on.

They were almost there, Jack's pants straining as he felt a soft breath on the back of the neck when…

"Taddy? I wanna go!"

Ianto froze, turning to see his child erupting form the children's room with a wet face, bereft and upset by something and his hand immediately left Jack's back and he knelt to open his arms and cuddle his wee fluff who was now crying inconsolably.

"He didn't' mean it!" Alice said in the doorway, her own face one of horror, "He didn't think. He doesn't think of you like that, you're our Harry. Please, come back in and let him apologise once his nose stops bleeding."

"What?" Jack bellowed, striding in to find his son sitting in his beanbag chair with his hands over his face, blood trickling out between the fingers. "Oh hell, what happened love?"

"Harrison punched me" Stephen said around his hands as he tipped his head back and Jack saw red. Lots of it.

"OUT!" he roared as he swung to advance on the Kat and Ianto rose to his full height with his child in his arms, his face closing over as he swung his body to protect from an assault and Jack hesitated at such an action.

The two men regarded one another and then Ianto hissed, a low warming hiss ending with a rattle of pure anger. Elongated teeth glistened in attack mode and Ianto looked more dangerous than a Bottlhof in the time of molt.

"Let's all go sit in the main room and see if we can't sort this out" Jack said softly, "I meant out of his room, not from us. Ianto, please let's all calm down and see what happened. I am sure this was just children playing and a slip or something."

Harrison whispered in his father's ear and Ianto's' eyes widened then slid to the boy now approaching with a cloth to his nose.

"You called my son a…a…weasel?" Ianto stuttered, his confusion clear.

"No, I said he looked like one when he pulled his killing face. We were playing on the computer killing enemies" Stephen wailed, "His teeth look funny and he makes a weird noise like…"

Ianto was moving with his son now flopping against him with grief as he had to listen to the insult all over again, Stephen and Alice confused and alarmed as they tried to chase them.

"Please don't go, please" Alice begged, "Harry, we didn't mean anything, please."

"Let them go" Jack said morosely as he flopped on to the soda that had help such promise scant moments ago "You've insulted his bloodline."

"what?" Stephen swung to address his father, "No I didn't."

"The battle cry of Catkind is passed through the bloodline, each family has a different wail. To laugh at it or make fun of it is to insult their family. Stephen love, you just laughed at his dead Mama's noise." Jack sighed as he rubbed at his face, "She probably made that noise as she fought and fell defending him when he was so small. He was echoing her. Shit. Shit, fuck , fuckery shit balls!"

Stephen was still, silent and horrified as he looked up at the portrait of his own mother, her soft smile and lovely warmth still there. Would it be the same as making fun of the fact he had her laugh?

"Oh no" he wailed as he finally understood, collapsing against his father as he now felt such remorse.

Alice was moving, running along the corridor in her slippers as she followed the man and child to their quarters and as Ianto keyed in the code to unlock their door she slid in before them making him pause and look down at her with interest.

"Miss?"

"He's my friend and my brother was an arse" she said defiantly, "I will not lose him because of Stephen's stupid mouth."

Ianto let his son slide to the floor and Harrison turned woefully to look at her, his whiskers in full droop and she felt her mama instincts flow stepping forward to gather him against her, "there, there beloved. I thought you sounded lovely, all musical and mystical."

"Mystical?" Harrison sniffled as he hugged her.

"Yes, you have such a pretty voice, even your battle cry is pretty" she assured him and Ianto watched Harrison lead her to his little room and the nest he loved so much, pulling her into it for cuddles. The Gerret slid from Iantos' room with a sock trailing after it as it aded to the clutch.

Ianto laid his head against the now closed door and sighed softly.

"Shit."


	25. Chapter 25

25

"Sir, I wish to inform you that your daughter has infiltrated my personal space and refuses to extract herself" Ianto's formal tone had Jack cringing as he straightened to look at the Vid-com "I suggest it prudent to allow some cooling off time before reintroducing our two males."

"Ianto…I…" Jack sighed as the man's eyes seemed to bore into him, the anger still there and Jack opened his arms wide, fingers splayed, "I am so sorry for his actions. Is Harrison OK?"

Ianto seemed to consider and Jack's balls shrivelled a bit as he saw the possibility of their promised union turning to dust but then Ianto blinked and refocused, his face softening slightly as he spoke "How's your nose young man?"

Jack turned to find Stephen behind him, morosely looking up at the screen with two black eyes forming.

"As sore as it deserves to be" he answered sadly, "Is Harry OK?"

"He and your sister are currently in his nest watching some old movie about a cat and a dog that are best friends. Apparently your sister is convincing him you are the ugly little pug." Ianto replied and Stephen snorted then groaned as he cupped his face.

"My children are not well versed in Kat lore. He had no idea the insult he was saying, he has my brain and my wife always told me the filter was defective, seems he inherited the old Foot-In-Mouth affliction. This is something I should have considered and included in their educaton packs."

Ianto considered and a soft cant of his head had the relief flooding through Jack more than the time he had faced down a rampaging Berl and had managed to get to safety. He was choosing to forgive?

"Stephen, my son saw his mama die. It was horrible, heart rendering and I will never forgive myself for not protecting him from that. When fully grown his voice will deepen and his battle cry will be more …. Startling but as a little Kat he does have a high pitched wail. He was unaware until now that some might find it amusing. His feelings are hurt." Ianto said and Stephen nodded sadly.

"Yeah, Dad explained my dumb brain bits. I didn't know it was a real thing, I thought he was being funny" Stephen said sadly "Will he forgive me?"

"I think he just needs time to lick his wounds" Ianto finally shrugged, "I think he likes you so very much that he is more upset about you two falling out than the fact you badmouthed his mama. Give him the night to feel sulky and maybe tomorrow we will try a public breakfast in the Mess, yeah?"

"I am sorry" Stephen repeated, "I was so mean."

"I think you've paid for it" Ianto smiled softly, "Harrison is also horrified that he hit you, he acted impulsively as had you. I think as young men you need to learn a bit more control, both of you. Especially as you are to be friends. Good friends that hopefully have a long life of madness together as I hope your father and I shall have. You both need to lean more of one another's cultures."

"I would like that so very much" Jack stepped forward, "Ianto, I really want us to be together, as much as you will allow me to be. We all need to learn to interact without bloodshed. So, breakfast? The Captain's table? Yeah?"

"Yes Jack" Ianto smiled and Jack felt a further release of muscles, now slumping as he heard the affection in his name, so damned relieved that Ianto was willing to try again.

Catkind are notorious for turning people away, but then there was also the Gorgan side to worry about. They had this habit of doing something called 'Drawing a Line' where they made a decision and it was irreversible. Someone shunned would become invisible. To see his smile was all Jack needed to know they still had a path ahead, albeit slightly rockier thanks to his son's thoughtless.

"Thank you Ianto" Jack said as he saw the conversation coming to a close, "I look forward to breakfast with your family and mine. Hopefully one day to be ours?"

Ianto bowed politely to Jack's image and the screen went black and he then sighed softly as he turned and headed to the bedroom to look in at the two children cuddled together. "Tomorrow we will all have breakfast and there will be apologies."

"Yes Taddy"

"Yes Sir."

"Ianto" he said softly, "You may call me Ianto little Miss."

Her face appeared from the blankets and she smiled at him, "Then you have to call me Alice. Right?"

"It would appear to be the correct assumption" Ianto nodded, retuning the smile and she saw how pretty he was, why her father had gone a little overly weird and anxious when he was coming for dinner. This was not a friendship. This was something more so she decided to must ask as children do.

"Are you and my Daddy going to be together?" she asked, "Are we all going to be a family?"

Ianto blinked slowly as he considered and as a Gorgan he answered just as simply, "Yes. I think so. If I do not kill your father for his madness I may find a way to accept his ….his….humanity I think there is a strong possibility that we may become a family and I may in time be seen as your parental."

She looked back at him and smiled before she disappeared back into the blankets and he went to leave, and then he heard her voice under the huddle of blankets and quilts.

"Good."


	26. Chapter 26

26

Jack was super early and overly nervous as he seated his son near the end of the table where he knew the little Kat would go, his little kittyself liking to sit on the end of a table so his tail could curl around the chair without another chair bumping it.

Others soon stopped eating to watch their captain as he rearranged the table and removed the centrepiece, replacing it with a smaller one from another table, then he fiddled with the cutlery until he found matching sets. By the time Ianto entered with the two children the Captain's Table looked fantastic. Jack was sitting serenely sipping water like he hadn't been aware that the breakfast hour was about to begin.

"Hi Daddy" Alice chirped as she skipped over and kissed his cheek, turning as Ianto pulled out a chair for her and she smiled politely as she slid into it "Thank you Ianto."

"You are very welcome Alice" Ianto replied serenely as he watched his son side into the end chair, his paw hovering before it landed on Stephen's arm and he stared into the black eyes he had created with interest.

"Wow, you look like a panda" he finally said and both boys giggled.

Ianto sat next to Jack in the customary partner's chair and the entire room fell silent as Jack rose to pour juice for Ianto.

"Thank you Jack, could I please have eggs with my toast?" Ianto asked as he reached out to flick a napkin at his son with a frown, another napkin waved at Stephen. Jack rushed to get breakfast, tending to his family and then he finally sat with a soft sigh of happiness, looking around to see they were all happy as Harrison chewed happily on his mouthful of sausage.

"The flowers are pretty today" Ianto said after his mouthful of egg had gone down and he leaned forward, spying the large display on another table, "Glad we got the red gladioli, those pink fersillians look so dreadful with the purple dragons' breath."

"Yeah, I know you like red" Jack replied happily, "A nice red isn't it? Almost burgundy."

"Rich, the gardeners are doing a great job. So glad they have worked out the hydroponics" Ianto nodded, then rose, "excuse me, I see some grapes."

He returned with a platter of fresh fruit and placed it down, the children all excitedly grabbing handfuls as Jack finished his food and pushed his plate away, "That was good. Hergie and Rhys are really picking up their game."

"He is a good cook" Ianto replied happily, "But I think you will find Andy back there before his shift starts with us."

"Really?" Jack asked with surprise, "Well, well, well. You did pick that one, didn't you."

"Hmmmmm" Ianto's smile was gentle as he reached out to refill Jack's glass with orange juice and Jack found himself smelling Ianto's hair briefly before pulling back with a grin of apology for such a public act.

Ianto pretended he hadn't noticed and sat back to eat some grapes, the Mess now humming softly as people remarked to one another that there had clearly been a joining. Jack listened intently for any negative remarks or signs or discord but found only nodding and approval.

It seems they had been the topic of conversations longer than he had realised and this public display of unity was not only accepted, but expected. He looked down the table as the two boys who were blowing bubbles in their milkshakes, giggling as their anger had been let go and he smiled as he watched a paw rub his son's arm affectionately then he startled as Ianto rose from the table.

"If you are OK to finish the children off I ….that sounded wrong" Ianto frowned and Jack roared with mirth as he brandished a butter knife, "Stop it! Please behave!"

Jack laughed even more as Ianto smiled softly and rolled his eyes.

"I will head to the bridge and start the daily checks, can you see to these heathens?" Ianto waved his hands at the table.

"Yes Ianto" Jack nodded softly, "I will get them finished, cleared away and to school before I come up to take over."

"As you wish" Ianto bowed to touch his nose to Jack's in a surprising Kat-kiss and glided across the room and out the door, then the Mess erupted with people coming over to congratulate Jack like it was some sort of declaration and he realised that it had been.

Ianto was Gorgan. A proud and private race that never bend, never allow another strength over then like that.

Not only had he just openly given Jack the role of a parental to his child and allowed him to tend to him in public he had just openly kissed him, albeit a Kat-kiss.

Ianto had declared.

Wow.

Jack knew he was starting to blush as he sorted the children, cleared their things away and thanked Rhys as he told him Ianto had enjoyed the meal. He then took the kids to school and kissed them all goodbye, Harrison surprised when Jack politely Kat-kissed him.

Then he headed to the bridge with a new feeling.

He finally felt like he was in charge here.

He had this.

Ianto was waiting.

.

.

.

.

.

Anyone thinking they are moving too fast needs to remember that spark they felt when they met. They knew even then there was something there and both wee alarmed by it. Seems they were being set up by a certain Brigadier? The crafty old bugger is more clever than he lets on... I've not told you his sirname have I... Kirk? You really think I've not got more story yet? Snigger.


	27. Chapter 27

27

Jack found his seat warm and humming, Ianto sliding from it with a welcoming nod. It seems news travels fast and there seemed a new feeling in the air as Ianto let his hand linger on the arm of the chair to allow Jack's to brush against it before he strode over to check Toshiko's numbers.

"Good, nice" Ianto said softly, "I think that programme is ready for Mainframe to take over."

"I agree, I will initiate it into the mid-morning change up" Toshiko answered as her fingers flew and Ianto then turned to a screen and bent over to look closely at the binary code, his arse now being ogled. He saw the reflected image in the dark screen, Jack's covert glances alerting him to the flirting he had inadvertently started….or had he.

"Captain, permission to leave the bridge. I need to go to the Engine Room" Ianto bowed and Jack smiled softly.

"Permission granted FO" Jack replied as he watched the door close, then turned to find Andy standing in front of him.

"Really? So, really?" Andy jiggled on the balls of his feet, "He's really decided?"

"Yes, I think so" Jack nodded, trying to still look in charge even though he wanted to gush "Mister Jones and I have agreed to tentatively see if we are compatible as a family unit."

"Ooooo, me too" Andy gushed, his hands clasped under his chin, "Rhys and I are going to cohabit."

"Really?" Jack slid to the edge of the seat, now pleased for his new Bosun, "Really? You and the big guy?"

"He's part Gorgan too" Andy nodded, "Probably why she chose him as her cover. He is so hurt by it but so stoic. Such a change to have someone who says what they are thinking, even if they know you might not like it. So much easier not trying to work out what they want or mean. I mean… I would rather know what I am doing wrong so I can stop doing it."

"Yeah, and they are willing to negotiate instead of cutting your throat when you piss them off" Jack added, "He's not even thrown anything at me."

"I'm happy for you Sir" Andy bowed "We all hoped when we first saw the two of you walking in-step. Same size, same tastes and you both seemed so comfortable. You know they are so careful when they chose crew these days, the calculations and stuff. I really love it here."

"I agree that we chose well, those recommended and those along the line. I do wish I had listened more to reservations about one or two though" Jack sighed as he thought of Gwen and her minions, "Good thing I was able to make some tweaks there."

"Yeah, agreed" Andy grinned, knowing the topic they were not actually admitting to be discussing, "I am well pleased there."

"You think you and Rhys might like to dine with me and Ianto one night? Like Grups are supposed to do?" Jack asked and Andy shone with delight as he accepted and went back to his seat with open awe.

Ianto had said that man was worth looking at, had even mentioned his placement as Gwen's second so now he sat in the chair that seemed well suited to him and Jack knew that yet again Ianto had been quietly saving him from being too big of a twat in his decision to pick her despite his polite note on her file warning him she might not be a team player.

Speaking of which … Jack looked to a radar reader Ianto had handpicked "Mister Bream. Is that a piece of space debris? How about we head over to do some recalibrations and see if we can find something interesting about it. I'll just go see if Mister Jones is done down in the bowels of the beast."

He bounced to the doors and hesitated, turning around "Mister Davison, you have the chair."

"YES!" Andy crowed as he shot to it and Jack grinned as he headed into the elevator and shot down to the Engine Room where he found Ianto surrounded by an assortment of crew.

"But what did he say then?" one asked and Jack crept forward.

"We didn't get a chance to talk more because then Harry punched Stevie in the nose" Ianto sighed, "I was so close and you know I was bricking it."

"Of course you were, you've never been with another but her" a melodic voice agreed, "But you will do so, yes? We can stop the clock? You've finally considered and chosen a mate?"

"Yes Helcib, I have decided. The Captain is to be my mate" Ianto replied and they all cheered, Jack doing so as well and Ianto swung to look at him with surprise, then he laughed.

"Jack, are you being creepy again?"

"What?" Jack blinked, then roared with mirth, "NO, I am not creepy. I was creeping, there is a difference there."

"Depends on who you speak to" Ianto deadpanned, then smiled, "There are some crew down here that have served under me before, some even trained by me. I felt it prudent to let them know before the rumours trickled down only to find they had a pool going."

"Really? Who won?" Jack asked with interest.

"Believe it or not, it seems Owen did" Ianto sighed as he frowned at them and Jack laughed some more.

Bloody little bastard knew all along.


	28. Chapter 28

28

A date.

Date Night Mark II.

Jack was calmer this time, also slightly pleased to find himself invited to Ianto's this time as the children has a sleepover in the new Cargo Hold that the crew had renamed the Rumpus Room.

Jack took a deep breath and knocked, the door swinging open to reveal Ianto in traditional Gorgan clothing, Jack's mouth going dry as the old world style three piece suit looked like exciting an intricate wrapping to such a wonderful gift.

"Well. Wine?" Ianto looked at Jack's hand and he started awake from his leering, offering it silently to him. "Red. Good. Road Beast tonight, red is a perfect choice."

"Ah, good" Jack said, mentally making note to thank Rhys who must have known when he slid the bottle into his hand with a wink. He followed Ianto in and saw the change in the room he had been in previously.

The Kat Nest by the Vid-screen was gone, a table set instead with rich red and gold trim, and a real candle. A real arsed candle lit and winking gently at him. WOW

Jack settled in a chair that he knew was for him as it had normal cutlery, Ianto's' having the Gorgan spear-like fork and savage blade. He found that a nice touch, that Ianto had not only been polite enough to give Jack normal cutlery but had been comfortable in giving himself his own preferred Gorgan sharps.

Ianto called out from the kitchen, "Open it to breathe and I will fetch more appropriate glasses than the juice ones."

Jack looked around for a cork screw and saw one sitting on the mantle, rising to open the bottle then he sat it on the mantle and resumed his seat, taking the chance to look at some of the interesting things the mantle had on display. He rose again, reaching for a stop watch and he smiled as he saw that it was antique.

"That was me Grandtad's" Ianto entered and Jack turned, replacing the watch and sitting again as the plates were placed down and Ianto returned to the kitchen, returning with a gravy boat.

"My gods, it that a real Gravy Boat? Look at that, china!" Jack was taken with the white jug with little red roses on it, matching the saucer it sat on.

"That was my mother's" Ianto smiled, "I almost lost it once, was beside meself until the box turned up. Bloody airlines loose shit all the time."

"The galactic ones are the worst" Jack agreed, "Can take years for them to work the paperwork out."

Ianto snorted softly.

"Smells wonderful" Jack said, "I thought you said you couldn't cook?"

"Rhys helped" Ianto shrugged and Jack grinned happily. He certainly had the bugger.

"A good man, that" Jack agreed, now knowing why Rhys had been instant on the red wine.

They ate with the same companionable silence as before, the humming now almost soothing in nature as Ianto refilled glasses and plates. Then they moved to the sofa, Ianto taking his time as he cleared things before settling next to him.

"I can do the dishes if ya like" Jack offered and Ianto shook his head.

"Leave them, I soaked them and can do them later. I was hoping we could talk for a while." Ianto said and Jack nodded.

"I was hoping we might do more than just talk."

Ianto's smile had his eyes twinkling as he laughed, "Really Captain, you want to …. Discuss other things?"

"Ianto, I want to lay with you" Jack said gently, "I want to run my hands over you and pet you, I want you to lick me and explore me and for us to find a rhythm in the bedroom to match the one we seem to have in other aspects of our relationship."

"So it's a relationship now is it?"

"Yeah. It is" Jack said boldly, knowing this was like a dance, this negotiation that might ether catch him a Gorgan or not. They were creatures of rite and ceremony and Jack had spent a little time reading up on their mating dance, moving to face Ianto directly as he took a deep breath and began.

"Ianto Jones, I find you exciting, interesting and alluring. I think you are sexually suited to me and I want to be your mate" Jack finished and took another breath as Ianto blinked, his eyes changing colour for a moment like he had hoped, the golden huge around the edge of the eye's irises telling him Ianto not only found his words to be alluring but his scent as well, his nose twitching as he canted his head.

That golden hue was a telltale sign of arousal.

"Captain. I find you sexy, naughty, cheeky and damningly irritating. I also wish to be your mate" Ianto finally replied and Jack jiggled.

"Come" Ianto said softly, "Let's retire and see if we can find that rhythm."

Jack let Ianto lead him to the bedroom and this time there was no interruption, no problem and to his immense joy not only did they have a compatible rhythm, they fitted as if made for one another. Ianto was a considerate lover as he is in all things, jack left debouched and slightly tender from the biting, licking and penetration that had definitely been a lovely surprise.

As he drifted off to sleep the last thing that registered was Ianto's' soft hum of pleasure.

Definitely the same rhythm.

Jack's heart beat seemed to beat in time to the music Ianto was humming.


	29. Chapter 29

29

Jack woke alone, sitting up and looking around then remembering the dishes. He swore and struggled from the bed, pleased to see a robe laid out for him. He pulled it on and padded out to find Ianto with the suit pants and waistcoat on, the white shirt open at the neck and the sleeves rolled up as he washed.

Holy shit.

He had looked generously presentable in the buttoned up suit but this was like a tease he hadn't known could give him a second wind like this as he slid in behind him to kiss his earlobe gently, "You look edible."

Ianto chuffed softly and turned to accept a kiss to the lips, "Almost finished. Gravy sticks."

"You should have woken me, I did offer to do these" Jack scolded without any strength to the words and Ianto snorted to show he didn't care.

"Harrison will not stay all night, not after the last time so I expect a ping in the next hour or so politely asking if he can come home, you know….the unspoken 'are you decent' thing?"

"Well, how about I clear the table and rebuild a nest as mine will come too. We can all cuddle and watch a movie until they are sleep" Jack offered and he saw Ianto's' face change to open surprise.

"Jack, that is very thoughtful, that would be lovely." Ianto said happily and Jack felt delight in surprising him like that.

It was half an hour later that the ping sounded and Ianto answered, politely smiling and informing the sitter that all three children could come to his berthage please, Stephen's face visible behind Harrison's as they leered around the sitter at the screen.

"Taddy? You OK?" Harrison asked before the call ended.

"Yes love, everything is good" Ianto replied and he then finished helping Jack with the nest, the door opening to let three horrors enter and they were busting with news on the new hold, their thoughts, ideas and complaints.

They settled to watch a movie and then drifted off within the first few minutes of the movie starting. Jack settled on the sofa behind the nest with Ianto and found himself interested in the movie about the civil war of Catkind and Hallerash.

They drifted off and woke to the giggles of children peering over the side of the nest as they lay entwined in the sofa.

"What are you looking at you horrible beasts?" Jack asked as he watched them blinking up at him.

"Are you two loving?" Harrison whispered with wide eyes.

"Yeah" Jack replied softly as he reminded himself that this child was being raised by a Gorgan and used to straight talking, "We are loving one another and are thinking that we might be one family maybe."

"Good" Harrison said as little eyes slid closed and he slid down into the nest where Alice cuddled him close and stroked his ears.

"Yeah" Ianto whispered against Jack's neck, "Good."

They slept like the dead.

.

.

.

.

Next morning was chaos with Ianto calmly ignoring the screaming and wailing as the children wrestled in the nest, this being something Catkind was renowned for and Jack could see his two loving the noise and naughty havoc they were suddenly allowed to do in the little nest that was considered a Grup-free zone.

"So, as long as they are in the nest they can do as they like?" Jack asked as he leaned back to speak to Ianto as he waited by the door for their breakfast to be delivered.

"Within reason" Ianto nodded, "We can still punish if someone loses an eye."

Giggling in the nest as the children wrestled some more and Harrison yowled as he mock attacked Stephen's foot, the little boy squealing as he struggled to free his foot from the sock.

Breakfast arrived and the crewmembers looked around with glee as they were allowed in the Gorgan berthage, something not usual and their gaze drank in the nest, the children and especially their Captain in a Gorgan dressing gown.

They ate with two confused children, their eyes bugging out as they heard Ianto's humming for the first time as in the Mess it had been drowned out with the noises of other people. Harrison started a happy purr of his own as he ate and now they heard a harmony as Jack hummed softly to show solidarity.

Stephen shrugged and started tapping the table in time to the beat he could hear and Alice giggled, then hummed too.

Ianto looked up with surprise and Jack knew he had no idea he even hummed, looking at the children with confusion then to Jack.

"We are happy. We want to hum" Jack said and Ianto blinked, then went back to his breakfast and the hum that filled the room now loud as he took more confidence in it.

The food went down as their day began, their new life too.

As a family.


	30. Chapter 30

30

Things seemed to settle and although they were taking things slow with their own quarters still being used for each family as they tried not to overload the children with constant togetherness.

Jack also knew Ianto was having to adjust the most, going from a single parent of almost four years with one quiet little Kat to a place full of noise and bluster. There was that little tic at the corner of his eye every now and then alerting Jack to Ianto's need for a quiet meal or the suggestion of split shifts so the crew could have some more one on one time that always got a nod of approval.

Jack found he was working hard here, more so than he had with his wife and he really wanted things to work. Seems their pace was just right with Ianto becoming less rigid around others and the occasional snark on the bridge had other crew members sniggering at the man's ability to even leave Owen in the dust at times.

Today was a split shift, Jack sitting on the sofa with the kids all in a huge nest in his living room that he was still trying to pretend was not insane to look at. The polite ping for a conversation had him smiling as he knew it was Ianto, he felt it as he reached for the screen to tap it open, "Hey good looking."

"You have that in mirror mode still sir" came the reply that had him giggling along with the kids as Ianto winked at them, "Captain, I know it is your 'beast' time but Toshiko has picked up an anomaly in our wake that has me concerned. Perhaps you need to don a tunic and come see what I am deducing?"

"I love when you talk all posh" Jack said with a shiver as Ianto's' eyes rolled and then he rushed to comply. He called the sitter from across the hall and the ginger queen entered with a look of glee, her own little one under her arm yowling as he wriggled to get to the children.

"Thanks Donna" Jack kissed her cheek and took off, arriving to find Ianto had moved to the ready room and was in a conversation with Toshiko and Andy.

"Captain!" Tosh said with a frown, "You know how I created that new programme to ensure our wake was not leaving too large a footprint on the space environment?"

"Yes?"

"Sir, I found something weird in the wash and explained it to Ian….the FO" she turned to touch the screen a Ianto spoke.

"It's OK Tosh, call me Ianto. I don't think we need all the ceremony now remember? We are family here, just Ianto OK?"

"Ok. Ianto. Um… we're here? There is something in our wake the changes the dispersal. It's a strange pattern." She showed them and Ianto frowned.

"Mainframe, can you calculate what we see and predict what it may look like from above?" Ianto asked and the screen changed to an animated view with the wake resembling ripples on a pond, something in the way like a rock.

"Or a spaceship" Ianto muttered softly to himself making Jack swing to regard him.

"Mainframe, please use the new data and go back over the previous daily checks. I want to know when this anomaly started." Ianto demanded and he frowned as his hand slid to the back of his neck in a way that always shows annoyance.

"What are you thinking?" Jack asked as he watched the screen flicker, each image the same. Almost.

"Mainframe, is each shot of the unknown thing showing it slightly further away? Is it catching up to us?" Jack frowned as everyone studied the screen.

ANOMALY IS INCREASING SPEED EACH DAY AND AS WE ARE TRAVELLING AT QUARTER IMPULSE AT THIS RATE IT WILL CATCH UP TO US WITHIN A WEEK

"And when did it first appear?" Ianto asked, "After the Outpost right?"

CORRECT

"Shit" Ianto sighed, "How long before we have a visual on them?"

"They?" Jack asked. "You know what this is?"

"If my assumption is correct, and my reasoning sound then the only explanation can be a smaller ship is chasing us" Ianto sat heavily, "It would have to have come from the outpost as none were seen approaching or docking in the months leading up to our berth and purge. This is since. I have a theory."

"Shoot"

"I believe Humans for Humanity had a back-up plan and this space vessel had been there waiting for some time, probably before our launch. The smaller prototype Excalibur went missing remember? Manifest listed is as missing in transit and they could not track it down then there was the government enquiry that suddenly went dark? I believe Humans for Humanity took it with the backing of those in power who agree with their ideals. The size is the same. I know as I was the first to fly it. I surmise the ship was placed there amongst junkers and such and when we left those disloyal behind they simply went to plan B."

"Gwen"

"Yes sir. I do believe Gwen Cooper, newly minted Captain of SS Excalibur is about to attack us."


	31. Chapter 31

31

Twenty minutes later and Ianto was too polite to say 'I told you so' as the image on the screen of SS Excalibur filled the screen.

"Shit"

"Yes. I concur. Shit"

"OK, we can out run them right?" Jack asked Andy who nodded.

"And then they will catch up" Ianto replied, "Sir, they are smaller, not as much fuel but they could potentially poke at us for months, maybe even a year or so before having to turn back for the outpost."

"But you don't think they will turn back, do you" Jack said with a frown.

"Not until they have completed their mission. Sir, Gwen wrote a memo a few weeks before we left talking about the shielding and she got a lot of responses. I now know she was spit-balling as you might call it to get a read on our shielding. I remember distinctly reading in the comments that we are vulnerable in our engines as the shielding fluxes. If she were to fire at our engines repeatedly over a period of time it would be a mathematical certainty that she would breach the shields and cripple us."

"And she knows this?" Owen asked with horror as he took a seat, "She isn't coming to negotiate or get back on board. She is coming to crucify us."

"Maybe, who knows how her mind works" Jack rose to study the screen as he pondered, "Right, first of all we know our weakness is our arse. We stop and swing to face her, shields on max and let her try her best. She will not be able to resist contacting me and we can maybe learn what she wants."

"I told you we should have had weapons on this thing" Owen muttered with a frown.

"Many of us agree doctor but the powers that be thought a peaceful mission might not be seen as such if we have external weaponry, one of the things I openly fought with them over" Ianto agreed, "the problem here is that the prototype does have them doesn't she. Gwen can shoot at us even if we can't at her."

"Look, we can wait and see or we can be proactive here, I agree with the captain. We need to be the aggressors, take her by surprise and she may be more likely to gloat and give away her plans like a villain in a B-grade movie. Gwen was always unable to resist a bite even at the academy." Andy argued.

The Space Ship Torchwood came to a halt and swung to face her shadow with uncommon agility showing Mainframe was flying not Andy who was simply watching the numbers. The vessel following them took evasive action as it tried to match the extreme stop but was unable to, coming close enough for them to closely see SS Excalibur in the screen.

"Gotcha!" Jack crowed, slapping the arm of his chair.

Then Andy called out "Sir, we have someone hailing us."

"On screen" Jack demined and they all watched Gwen appear with the expected sneer.

"Captain, you finally found us did you?"

"What do you mean?" Jack said calmly, "I got worried that you were going to run up our arse and burn yourselves to a crisp, you know this little lady had a mean afterburner."

Jack grinned like a predator at the screen and Ianto adjusted his stance to let her see him in the corner of the screen, her eyes narrowing as she focused on him and he knew she was not going to back down or bluff as she snarled at him.

"You! Ya Gorgan bastard, you think just because you have managed to get into his bed that you now have the upper hand. Don't forget I am the one with my weapons trained on you" she mocked, "Look at you. Stuck up blue blooded freak!"

Ianto watched her as the comments showed she was aware of their cohabitation plans and considered, glancing over as Jack tried to reason with Gwen and when it became clear she didn't want to back down he sighed and started to tap on his keyboard. The conversation was brief and he saw the numbers in the answer Mainframe reluctantly gave.

"Gwen, what is it you want?" Jack asked, "Just tell me and stop the posturing."

"I want you to stand down and relinquish control of the Torchwood to me." She replied haughtily, "I want all the impures and freaks over on this vessel to return to the Outpost, I want my crew of humans to regain their place on the Torchwood so the mission can continue as it should have in the first place. Humans for Humanity!"

Gwen crowed as her crew all cheered and she folded her arms smugly, "I have weapons. You don't. Sooner or later you have to move and we will destroy you if you do not comply. I want that ship cleansed and I want the humans to endure! You really think there is not a secondary plan? I have a virus dormant in your system, if I activate it your ship will go dark!"

"Actually, technically it's called a boat when this size" Ianto said pompously and Jack looked at him with confusion, the snide remark and sneer so unlike his usual gentle nature that Jack could only blink as Ianto walked in front of the screen and openly sneered at her.

"You really think you can fly this girl? Stupid bitch, you are never getting this boat" Ianto laughed before the screen blanked out, Gwen's roar of rage as she slapped the button to abort the call still ringing in the speakers as Ianto slumped and turned to Jack.

"She's already won, there must still be some of her people on board. Sir, the shields are not functioning as they should, started about ten minutes ago. Someone else is trying to control Mainframe and she is getting pissed. She also confirms an anomaly she is struggling to control. We have tried everything we could, I had to provoke her then so she would break the feed. If I tried to warn you she would see. Captain, my calculations suggest we are sunk."

Jack nodded as he knew what Ianto was saying, also seeing that jut of his chin that warned of more.

"And what else FO?"

"I have a plan and you will not like it."


	32. Chapter 32

32

"No!" Jack roared, his anguish raw as he struggled to reach Ianto who was moving around the desk to stay away from him.

"It is the only play we have left, we must do what we can to save the vessel, to save the mission" Ianto said softly, finally stopping so Jack could seize him and hold him close, "Jack, her hatred for me is our only saving grace right now."

"Ianto…I…I can't allow this!" Jack clung to him now, his horror starting to show as he tightened his grip.

"Captain, you are compromised, your emotions are controlling you and you are no longer able to see the mission parameters beyond your own needs" Ianto said softly as he held Jack against him, "You know I am right … you know we need to do this and you also know that if you can't control yourself I will have you declared unfit and stand you down."

"Ianto I…I…."

"Actually she might like that!" Owen blurted "If she sees Jack upset, crushed… trying to deny the offer you are going to make, she might grab it more."

"Jack, Cariad. Sorry" Ianto sighed, "You know I have to. Mainframe can't touch them, we have no weapons and with some of her people still hiding amongst us we can't trust anything other than an underhand play."

"But the cost" Jack sobbed, "It is too great a cost!"

"Less than the numbers she demands. My son amongst them. OUR son. Sir, would you give her Harrison? You would have to give me anyway, I am a hybrid too." Ianto reasoned, "I am sorry. We have to do this. We can't trust her to keep her word, we need a finality to this."

Jack shakily resumed the chair and looked at the screen, nodding as Andy hailed her and she came back on screen.

"Gwen, the council are deciding. I wanted….needed to ask what will happen to those you ask for." Jack said with raw sorrow. "You won't hurt them will you?"

"Not all of them" she replied happily as she knew she was winning. Jack also saw that Ianto was right. No matter what they agreed to she was going to blow Torchwood out of the black.

"The council have decided" Ianto said as he entered the room as if he had just returned from somewhere, not been waiting around the doorframe for his moment, "They say no. They know we can wait her out, our shields are strong and we are currently sweeping for any insurgents that may remain here. We may not have weapons but we could shoot them out into space to cause some debris for her engines to suck up."

"How dare you!" she screamed. Humans, you would kill humans!"

"Only those who do not bow and we found the anomaly. Mainframe has purged it" Ianto said haughtily.

She snarled as she moved closer to the screen, "You bastard. You horrible, beastly man."

Ianto canted his head as he calculated and found the timing right, "There is another option."

"What?"

Gwen looked at Jack who was moving from his chair, "Ianto no. Don't we've discussed this and I have already forbid…"

"This is between her and me" Ianto replied, the two men openly staring each other down as Jack reached out to grip Ianto's arms.

"Not you. Anything but you, please love. Please." Jack begged, "We can wait her out, they will run out of supplies before us, come on. This is silly."

"No. I have to do this. For the children, I have to offer. Gwen is a woman, someone who will be a mother one day and I know she doesn't want to harm the children onboard. Please Captain, you know as well as I that she knows about the anomalies in the shields. I have to at least offer." Ianto sighed as Jack rubbed angrily at his face and turned away.

"Offer what?" her glee thrummed as she saw the pain she was causing.

"Me. We can wait you out, as long as we don't turn you can't fire on the engines, our weak spot. I don't want your crew to suffer, or mine. We both know this is a stalemate but I can offer a solution. One that saves face for you and ensures the safety of those here."

"I'm listening."

"Gwen, I will be placed in one of the inactive life pods and get shot into space. You scoop it up and I will not be armed, you can scan it to see the life signs that match mine you have already. You will have me. Unarmed and at your mercy. You can parade me as the instigator of your demise. The SS Torchwood can continue on her way and you will have time if we act fast to return triumphant. You don't have to return to Sol 3. I will be enough to secure your spot at the Outpost as the new Overseer. You will have control of the entire sector, safe from the demise of the planet and everyone will rely on you for their survival. Me as your slave, or my skull to drink from."

"Oh Ianto" Jack whispered as he clutched at his own tunic to show his distress that was real and raw as the plan stated to work, "My love."

"I am sorry Cariad, this is all we can offer, you know this. We all agree, you have to yield."

"I can't let you go."

"You will have to!" Gwen said with triumph, "He's already mine! I accept the terms of your surrender. Give me the offering and go, I will say we destroyed you and he abandoned ship like the dog he is and I will return with his severed head on a silver platter."

Ianto relaxed as he saw that he was winning now, even as he had to lose to do so.

Jack slumped in his chair with grief as he tried to breathe though the pain, not all of it was an act after all.


	33. Chapter 33

33

Ianto stood at the life pod eyeing it up as Tosh knelt beside it fiddling with the many attachments. Unlike the modern sleek numbers, this old junker looked like it belonged in a museum.

"It's from the shit we got from the Outpost" Owen explained to Jack as he turned to face Ianto, unable to hide his dismay, "What if this doesn't work? I mean... right. I know, you are Gorgan. Like that bloody helps."

"Because it's so old she can't control it like the modern ones. She will have to bring it onboard to open it, she can't kill me by opening it still in space. She will have to get up close and dirty." Ianto said softly, "I will have such a tight window."

"And no weapons on board, she will scan like a bloody lunatic" Andy agreed from the side, "your life signs will read true and will show that you have nothing in there with you, the old model will show in their system like it does ours and the outer shell will match their pictures."

"You will need this" Tosh handed him a ring with a large rock in the middle that was actually a button, "When you see her you press this button. It will do the rest."

Ianto nodded, turning to let Jack embrace him and they stood for a moment before Ianto kissed him and stepped into the pod. "Right, let's go."

Ianto climbed into the pod and Jack looked at him morosely, "You didn't say goodbye to the kids."

"Can't" Ianto said shortly, "I … I can't. This is too much. Tell Rhiannon I am sorry if this doesn't work."

Jack leaned in and kissed him once more before they let the hold and he watched the airlock change, the colours flash and then it was done, Ianto gone to refloat in space.

"Come on, we need to witness" Andy said as they went to the Bridge and watched Gwen's vessel scooping him into their airlock and he was gone. "They will need to know who they are naming our first settlement after."

"I love you" Jack whispered as he stared intently at the screen, his promise to witness making him stay firm.

.

.

.

.

Ianto knew she was there as he could hear her screaming at them to open the bloody thing as the beeping still announced the airlock trying to complete its lock down. She had been so eager she was in there before the seals were fully locked in. He was freezing, the lack of life support meaning the cold space had begun to creep though the metal casing and his teeth were chattering as he tried to stop himself from shaking and he focused on her.

Ianto looked up through the glass and saw her, mere inches of glass between him and the one who had threatened the vessel his child was safely on. Ianto smiled and waved as he turned the ring on his hand, pressing the button as he closed his eyes and sent loving thoughts across the black to his beloved who he knew was watching, waiting and mourning him already.

It's all about the timing, Ianto counted the flashing light he could see neat the airlock doors. He knew he had less than twenty seconds for this to work, if he had been out by a single second then … well. A win is a win no matter what the cost I guess. Ianto prayed to his gods for one little piece of mercy here.

The small housing in the base of the capsule beeped to show it was receiving the alert from the ring and Gwen looked down with surprise. "We scanned right? Everything as it should be?"

"Yes Captain this old capsule is…."

The explosion as the bomb hidden in the empty casing of the capsule's life support engaged, the white light as the device exploded filling the hold milliseconds before it blew the place apart and the last thing to go through Gwen's mind…well second last as the last was a piece of shrapnel, the thought was 'Bloody Blue Blooded Bastard' as she was flung back against the bulkhead and pieces of shrapnel rained on her, in her, through her to tear the entire SS Excalibur apart.

Jack watched the screen with horror as Tosh grinned with satisfaction, the ship seeming to flux an then implode like someone was crushing an empty pop can, the expulsion of air out the side from the source of the explosion blowing debris out into space and Jack sobbed before he could catch it, his hand over his mouth as Gwen and her crew perished.

"Take that bitch" Owen said softly, "Ianto always said that it is better to sacrifice the hand to save the limb than to lose the arm and bleed to death."

"Owen, not now" Andy said as he turned to comfort Jack, the screen showing the slowly revolting mess that was once a ship. Tosh scanned frantically as she clung to her faith in her friend's timing.

"I don't believe it" Tosh whispered and they all turned to her.

"What now" Jack wailed.

"Their shields were not intact, why it blew to the side, they were still regenerating when Ianto hit the button. The mad man got the timing right" she said, her excitement building as Jack looked at her and she shook off his shock, "Jack, Ianto was inside the capsule still, it was still sealed when he hit the button. The explosives blew out, not back at the capsule it was attached to, I wanted maximum effect. Jack, it blew the outer doors, look! He was right, she couldn't wait for protocol and procedure just like always. Christmas, what is it had been another lock they had opened to secure him, thank the gods they used the one the simulations always opened the lazy bastards."

They all looked where she was pointing at the screen.

"The capsule. The capsule was blown out when the Atmo caught fire and exploded, Ianto is not in the crunch, he is there. There in front of us!" she yelled, "What the hell are you standing there for. Jack, no life support in that old thing, he had only the air sealed with him, Jack … JACK!"

Jack finally got it and he roared for engines as he begged Mainframe to move her pretty arse.

Ianto was possibly still alive.

The Gods couldn't possibly be that ironic, right?

Right?

Ianto had managed that tiny window of survival?

.

.

.

OK, since you can't stand it and I might not be able to post tomorrow if this cyclone tkes my roof off like it wants to, I've already lost fences, the goat shed and my large gates were torn off at the hinges. Oooooooo, you are sooo gonna want me to be able to right? LOL Oh how I love my Cliffies


	34. Chapter 34

34

The capsule was sitting serenely in the airlock as Jack struggled against Owen, Andy and Rhys. Finally the light turned green and they released him, watching him slam the doors open and fall to his hands and knees, then recover and race to the capsule where he saw Ianto through the glass laying serenely as if asleep.

"Get it open, Tosh get it open" he was demanding as he banged on the glass hoping for a reaction but the ice crystals he could see inside the glass were not helping his fragile calm.

Finally the latches disengaged and Jack struggled with the others to break the ice around the lip, opening it to look in at the silent man within, "Oh gods, too late."

Jack saw how pale he was, how cold and he reached out to stroke impossibly cold skin on Ianto's cheek, knowing they had been too late. At least Harrison would have a body to mourn over before a proper send off. "Oh Ianto my love."

"What's that by his feet?" Owen asked as he leaned in, his head and Tosh's joining as they looked at the broken glass in the bottom of the capsule.

"Must have been in one of the compartments and shook loose in the explosion" Tosh surmised as she reached out to poke the shards with a pen, "I think he either convulsed when he died or the force of the explosion smashed it against the side of the capsule. "What is it?"

"A vial" Owen said as he poked at it with the pen, "It housed something, let me think. These old things….what…Chula right?"

Jack had gathered the limp body into his arms and he pressed his lips to Ianto's one last kiss and the golden light engulfed them as everyone fell back, yells of alarm as they watched the light fill the room and for a moment they thought it was a second explosive. Then it seemed to go back into Ianto and the two men were still.

"Shit" Owen whispered, "Little bastards were still active."

"What?" Tosh blinked as she looked at him and then the gasp from the Chula Ambulance Life Pod had them looking down to watch Ianto's eyes blinking slowly as he looked around with confusion then focused on Jack.

"Cariad? Did it work?"

Jack started to laugh, hiccupping through tears as he heaved Ianto out of the capsule and held him against him as tightly as he could without undoing the work the nanites had just done.

"OK, I accept it. He's bloody part Catkind right? How many lives has he got?" Owen demanded, his delight and relief apparent as he surged forward and threw his arms around the two men, "You little bastard!"

"I am not little" Ianto gasped shakily as he buried his face in Jack's neck.

"Definitely not little" Jack agreed happily.

"So! You admit you are a bastard then!" Owen crowed.

"As are we all" Ianto said softly, "Have we not all just committed genocide?"

"No, we just won a war before it got started" Owen replied sympathetically as he rubbed Ianto's back, "You're freezing. Blue blooded freaks don't like the cold do they Godzilla."

"Nah, I don't citizen" Ianto agreed and they staggered from the airlock, the righteous cheering and clapping as the crew erupting with glee at the sight of their FO still intact if maybe a little chilled.

Jack didn't care what people thought as he held Ianto against him and rushed him to his quarters where the children were in their nest totally unaware of what had been happening, their eyes widening as Jack pushed Ianto towards them.

"Quick, Taddy is freezing and needs cuddles" he demanded as he shoved Ianto into the clowder and Donna rose from the sofa with open relief, wriggling in to cover Ianto with her furry self and he groaned as he hugged her and felt the warmth of her fur as she giggled softly at the sensation of his fingers kneading like a little Kat. Rhiannon slammed into the quarters followed by her children and Jack wondered if the nest was going to survive.

Jack struggled from his outer clothing and joined them, soon everyone cuddling happily as Ianto finally stopped shivering and sighed softly, "What happened?"

"Nanites" Jack replied, "Seems that old Chula ambulance pod had a vial of nanites sitting in stasis. They woke and went to work, thank the Gods."

"Yeah, wow" Ianto sighed as he snuggled against Jack and Jack felt Ianto's smile against his throat as Ianto found that spot he liked to lick while he drifted in sleep.

"I love you" Jack whispered, "Gods Ianto I love you."

"And I love you too sir" Ianto sighed.

Jack became aware of a very still nest full of wide eyes and he grinned at them all as he chose another sentence. "Maybe we should have a bonding then, so if this happens again our children are covered?"

"Yes, good" Ianto muttered, "Yeah, for them. Yeah. Right."

"You would wear my ring?" Jack asked more firmly now as his daughter's face lit up with delight when she realised what she was witnessing. Rhiannon's hand covering her mouth as she watched her brother's face soften with open affection.

"Yes, yeah, whatever. Shut up" Ianto slurred, "But only if you wear mine. I don't share."

"Neither do I" Jack assured him, "I will never let you go again."

Ianto's answer was a soft snore.

Jack was willing to take that as an agreement.

.

.

.

Didn't blow away. Now I have days of cleanup ahead of me and bloody rain. Weird, looks like the summer might have ended wih a hiss and a roar, quite the statement.


	35. Chapter 35

35

The next few days were surreal to the usually dower and invisible FO who found himself suddenly in the limelight as people passing him in the hallway wanted to touch him and thank him for his service, it felt so weird and he didn't know how to handle it. Last time they had been mostly unaware of his heroic act but now everyone spoke freely and it had gone through the vessel like wildfire.

Jack took pity and declared a day off for his family including Rhiannon and the kids who were fast becoming regulars, taking them all to the Hologram Room where they sat in a rain forest and had a picnic, Ianto's eyes drinking in the waterfall behind them as he marvelled at the beauty of the planet they had slowly destroyed, wondering at the other gifts it once shared with the virus known as mankind.

Jack knew what he was thinking, could see the sorrow and knew he had to change things up so he decided to change the simulation, "Mainframe, can I have a Caribbean beach scene please?"

Ianto looked up from his musing and watched the sky turn blue, the water too and the children cooed with delight as monkeys swung from the trees and birds called out as they flew overhead showing plumage that was breathtaking.

As Jack had hoped, Ianto was enamoured with his face softening and his mood lightening as he laughed along with the children at the antics of the monkeys long since extinct in 'real time'.

"Dadda? Did we bring some of those?" Alice asked after a while and he sighed as he explained that it had been too late to add them to the Arc Room. She sighed as she nodded and Ianto took pity.

"There is a breed of Gertillot that resembles them. If we come across a market planet in the outer ring then chances are the Away Team might find some. If so I can put a word in with the boss, maybe he will add one or two to the manifest for the purposes of teaching at the school. I am sure the children need to learn how to care for all sorts of species that are less intelligent" Ianto said as he looked over at Jack. "There have been reports of several alien planets that are happy to trade with us, the Outpost might have been the last contact with Earth but that doesn't mean we will not see people again. Out here there are all sorts of people who gave up earth to live in the outer planetary ring. We will have many chances before we go beyond their flight paths to unknown territory."

Jack would agree to anything for the smile he received as he nodded and he knew he was compromised once again, pleased he was off duty and not in need of relinquishing his chair.

"Ianto, you make me gushy" Jack said after a while and the Gorgan canted his head in that infuriating way they do.

"Rhiannon said I made you mushy. I guess it is only the difference of a single letter" Ianto said as he pointed at her and Jack laughed softly.

"Johnny couldn't come?" Jack asked calmly and Ianto caught something in his tone, looking up as his sister pulled a face and looked away.

"Rhiannon?"

"Do you remember our father's disappointment? The way he used to regard you and your Gorgan throwback blood? All that work, all that money to make you and you were more Gorgan than I." she said sadly, "I remember his anger when the results came to show you were so…so…."

"Mutated" Ianto supplied with a snort, "Yeah."

"David…he… he is showing tendencies" she said as she shifted in her chair, "He has started….ah….purring."

Ianto started to snort and he tried to hide it but he began to laugh as he let go of his concerns for his standing within this new family unit, "Harrison has taught him to my love. It doesn't mean he is showing Catkind ways. A lot of the children are doing it now the Kats and the humans are mingling. If you look closely, one or two have fake tails. They are playing."

"Try telling Johnny that" she sighed "You know he is rigid in his ways."

"If he has a problem with a child showing natural healthy developmental play then send him to me" Jack said calmly as he pondered some terse words for the man, If not for the fact he had not taken part in the HFH action he might have thougth him one of them "All children role-play, that helps them develop skills in communication and empathy."

"I still find it hard to connect with him" Ianto said after a while, "Johnny tries hard. He is a good father, a good provider and hard worker. He just doesn't … get me. I find myself trying to initiate conversation and you know I hate that."

"You intimidate him" Rhiannon laughed, "He's fucking terrified of you."

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Well. There ya go. You learn something every day!" Ianto snorted, finally understanding the stilted glaring man who seemed to want him to leave.

He found that so amusing.


	36. Chapter 36

36

Jack was not paying attention to the monotone speech Andy was giving the rest of the flight crew as they meandered towards what appeared to be a small solar system as he had been here before and knew the dangers they were now being warned about. Besides, it was all going to be repeated ship-wide as some might experience ear popping blah blah … different gravities from some large planets they are passing blah blah …. No. He was watching Ianto as he leaned over Tosh's lower console to help her with some calibrations and he was most taken with today's tunic as it slid up to reveal that pert arse that was also a nice handful. Jack liked a nice plump arse on a man …. Or a woman … and had never liked those boney bums with nothing to manoeuvre. Ianto casually twisted to look over his shoulder in time to catch Jack's leer and felt a blush forming as he turned back, Tosh giggling as she caught it too.

"He is definitely smitten" she whispered.

"Stop it!" he hissed, the blush deepening as he knew Jack was still doing it. "He's such a horny Lowritog"

She started to giggle more as she struggled to control herself, the image of Jack as a large green dog-like creature with horns and lolling tongue chasing Ianto about was too good and he grinned to show he knew her imagery.

Then he had to do it.

Anyone who really gets to know the FO will learn that that quarter human side is regularly fueled by another little smidgeon of something that makes him extremely crafty and intensely aware of his ability to deadpan.

"His tongue is that long too. Shivers down me spine, I tell ya" he said calmly before moving away and she gripped the edge of the console as she shook with mirth, Ianto wafting past the Captain's Chair with a flick of his heels.

It took Jack a few beats to realise he was flirting.

Flirting.

Like… presenting.

"Oh wow." Jack said softly as he started to rise from the chair, his mind calculating the time the children would be in school toddy, "Mister Davison? Can you take the helm? Mister Jones, care to show me the reports you have on the asteroid cluster we will be travelling through in the ninth rell? In my quarters?"

Ianto turned to look at him and Jack had a moment of satisfaction as he saw that he had surprised the man, then Ianto's eyes twinkled as he swung on his heel and started to stalk from the bridge, "Of course Captain, follow me."

"Anywhere" Jack whispered under his breath as they both pranced from the bridge and the closing of the elevator doors had the bridge exploding with open mirth.

They had all seen it.

So sweet.

They were soon in Jack's quarters and Jack was kissing Ianto lustily as he fumbled with their clothing and Ianto panted, "Careful, I don't have a spare here."

"Why?" Jack said as he slowed to carefully undo the tunic buttons, "Why do we have separate berths? Come here, live with me."

Ianto looked at Jack with surprise, "Captain, we are not bonded."

Jack's hands stopped as he registered the response and he looked at Ianto, "Of course. Gorgan. You might fool about but a serious commitment has to be officially registered and shit."

"Shit?"

"I didn't' mean it like that…. Damnit Ianto, most of my blood is pooling in a region other than my brain right now, shit. I mean….uh…. if we have a bonding ceremony we will be paired. Right? You would be mine, me yours. Right? We could all live here in this huge bloody berth together. It has four rooms for the love of gods. One each for the kids, one for us. You and Harry could be here with us, always."

Ianto pulled back to regard his love, "Are you proposing? Half naked with… with your hand down my pants?"

"Yeah."

"OH." Ianto said with wide eyes and Jack got the horrible slap of clarity that he was about to bolt. Shit, he didn't feel the same, this was a mist…. "Yes. Yes then. Ah…sure. Yes. I accept."

"Really?"

"Yes. It is silly, we spend almost all our time here, or you at mine when the kids are having sleepovers. Rare occasions apart I miss you. Silly. If we were all together the kids wouldn't have to keep begging to be together, we wouldn't feel the need to sneak off as every night we could go home like two adults."

"And mate like Gerbodds" Jack rubbed against him and Ianto started to laugh softly.

"Stop it, you're terrible you are."

"But… your kind of terrible, right?" Jack asked and Ianto laughed as he nodded.

"All the way sir. Yes, always."

Jack kissed Ianto less frantically, putting more gentle affection into it as his brain finally registered the acceptance of his want and need.

Ianto was going to declare.

WOW


	37. Chapter 37

37

Ianto returned to the bridge first, his face slightly flushed and what appeared to be a bit of whisker rash. He had spoken to Jack about that and Jack returned a short time later. Freshly shaven and looking dapper with his shit eating grin turned up to the top notch. Ianto didn't even glance at him as they all settled, the crew all stealing glances with excitement as they all knew a little nookie had just been enjoyed.

"Mister Davison" Ianto said calmly, "When you are finished with the Ship-wide announcements, I have something to add."

Andy nodded as he continued his warnings and then turned to Ianto with a nod, Ianto stepping toward to the mic, "This is a ship-wide announcement on behalf of myself and the Captain. Tonight in the Mess we will be celebrating our decision to bond our families and all are invited to attend. All crew. A second small celebration will happen in the early morning in the Mess so those on duty who could not attend may still come to offer congratulations and speak with us. At these times we will not be on duty and may be approached as citizens."

The sound was slightly muted by the large bulkhead but easily identifiable as the vessel erupted with cheers and Ianto turned to Jack with a look of surprise like he didn't realise how many had been waiting for this but Jack did know and took his cue, touching the button on his chair to take the coms, "Thank you to all who have helped, cajoled and pushed. Stop the clock, the book is closed. The winner of the poll may dine at our table tonight."

"Poll?"

"Yes there is a poll going on when we were going to finally declare. Some were quite mean in their estimations of how long you were going to make me beg" Jack pouted, "As if. I mean …. I would get on your nerves sooner or later and you would have given in for peace, right?"

"Yes captain, this is purely so you will stop begging. So unseemly for a grown man to beg like that" Ianto said drolly and laugher echoed as Jack grinned as he pointed at the red button glowing to remind Ianto that the mic was still on.

"Thank you Ianto" Jack said softly and Ianto bowed, allowing for one rule to be broken as he replied.

"And thank you Jax."

They entered the Mess later to cheers and clapping as the celebrations began and Jack was nervously waiting for what he knew was going to be quietly upsetting even if he knew it was ritual and he must allow it.

Ianto walked in and calmly picked up a large ceremonial knife then before anyone could react he drew it across his palm and hissed at the pain of it, swinging to hold his hand over the large chalice of wine Rhiannon was holding with glee.

Ianto opened his hand with a frown as the blood stopped flowing and stared at it with interest, then drew the knife again, this time watching it bleed, heal…seal….huh. "Look at that."

"The nanites" Owen said as he leant over to watch, "Wee buggers are still there, no vial see? You …what?"

Ianto gave him a look and he watched Ianto pass the knife to Jack who took a deep breath and drew the blade across his own palm to mix blood with Ianto's in the wine. Ianto seized Jack's hand and watched intently as it slowly sealed….healed….huh.

"OK, freaks" Owen hissed, "Bloody freaks. You keep this quiet. They are sure the gods have predestined this merger, if they learn the nanites chose to split between you both too we will have a new religion or something."

Ianto snorted and looked at Jack, "Don't worry. They will probably die off or find a new vial or something."

"Or not" Owen said happily, "There was warning of the old stock being contrary. Stop whispering, everyone is watching, do the rings."

Ianto cleared his throat and turned to smile at those gathered, raising the chalice and then taking a sip before offering it to Jack who gingerly took a sip too.

Ianto took a deep breath, the addressed the room, "Here today I declare my heart the property of Captain Jack Harkness. I also accept the reasonability of ownership of his heart in exchange."

Jack shakily said the same and then grinned as he realized this was some sort of wedding, their people do not do the flowers, costumes and prancing about. Gorgan are not fluffy. This was it. Ianto was doing it. Jack pondered the fact Ianto was taking the lead and realised it was how it was supposed to be. He had offered first, Ianto was accepting him. Gorgan way declared Ianto the one to give acceptance.

Jack watched his children clutch at one another as rings were slid onto fingers, all three in a huddle of joy as they watched their family compete itself like a puzzle falling together, the pieces all fitting.

Jack felt whole.


	38. Chapter 38

38

"Ianto? Are you busy?" Rhiannon asked and Ianto looked up from the tablet he was tapping to raise an eyebrow in silent query so she continued, "My anti-natal group have some Gorgan and one is more than slightly concerned. A single whose partner was one of those killed in the final flight checks of the prototype that went so wrong."

Ianto sighed as he remembered the horror of that day, a simple coupling failure killed several crew as they became trapped between the faulty airlock and safety. Their families had been given free rides as Ianto had requested and now knew from the paperwork Jack had too.

"It is starting shortly is it not? I shall attend" he nodded and rose to dress more formally then left the quarters and walked sedately to the Anti-natal class Owen was in the middle of, his tepid ways reserved as he gently coached a youngling who was afraid of her first imminent birthing.

Ianto saw Rhiannon straight away, his blood pulling him in her direction before he even turned his head and the Gorgan sat with her, pale and definitely alarmed as Owen showed diagrams on screen.

"Greetings" Ianto said as he sat next to the Gorgan and he leaned around to speak to Rhiannon, "Have you had your stats done today?"

"Yes" she offered her baby tablet and he accepted it, humming as he looked at the impending new family member with interest, "I see we have a final day chosen."

"Two weeks, I did estimate that" Ianto nodded, "Another little princess to smother, Jack will be so excited. He has gifts already, keeps checking like he is the expectant one. Funny bugger. I will ensure our shifts are light and able to be taken by Andy if need be so we can support and witness."

"Really? You mean it? Oh brother, that would mean so much to the children" she smiled and he hummed as he handed the tablet back and addressed the Gorgan silently listening to the exchange.

"And your stats? Rhiannon tells me this is your first?"

The tablet was silently offered, a little blue screen saver of a single feather that made Ianto smile as such a Gorgan display of affection. A simple feather to show delight. "A boy? Lovely. I have a son, adopted as my wife was Catkind but I assume you know that. I do love my little niece but sometimes she terrifies me. I am relieved that my new daughter I have accepted is old enough to have manners as Mimi is still too little to scold yet too big to allow her madness."

"I beg your pardon! My daughter is not mad, little girls just tend to be more expressive, even the Gorgan ones!" Rhiannon bristled, then snorted as she agreed Mimi was a bit of a wee bugger like her Mama.

"Were it not for the offspring to be I would not have come. The death of my mate was so …so… I contemplated the Sleep Of Acceptance." The soft voice muttered and Ianto nodded, the mention of ritualistic suicide both ancient and still occasionally done. "I live for my child."

"As I did mine" Ianto agreed, "Then the Captain took my eye and here we are. Madness. It has taken some adjustment to share space with a human with such low level manners but it seems we can adjust in time of hardship."

The Gorgan stared at Ianto and then gave the Gorgan equivalent of a laugh, a deep bark came forth and the man slapped Ianto's knee gently. Ianto smiled softly and accepted the show of mirth that showed he had eased the Gorgan's mind.

"Right, you two finished? We need to have a girth check!" Owen said and the Gorgan rose to lift the maternity tunic and show the large belly to everyone else, cooing and a few meows of interest as Owen checked for stretch marks and such the scanners could not pick up through the doorway upon entering. "Good, you look good Hertix"

"Thank you Doctor" the man bowed as well as he could with his huge belly and Owen looked over at Ianto.

"See Godzilla? He calls me Doctor" Owen sniped, "He recognises my talent."

"Nah" Ianto answered easily, "It's written on your tunic Citizen."

Everyone giggled as Owen stuck out his tongue and then flashed a smile at his friend then nodded to Hertix who went back to sit by his new friend, his relief obvious as Owen declared him ready to birth whenever he was ready.

"If you require someone to witness I will be available" Ianto said softly, a hand patting the man's hand, "Rhiannon and I will be pleased to stand for you. We are all family now."

"Thank you Fir…"

"Ianto. When not on duty I am simply Ianto my brother" Ianto corrected calmly, "We are all family remember? The Captain prefers to be called Jack when not swanning about in Captain Mode, although I do like the way he swans."

"Yes, I have also noticed his remarkable ability to … swan" the Gorgan whispered and they shared a look of amusement.

The entre class went home to talk of what had happened, by that evening the entire ship aware of the new rule or title as well as the kindness their FO showed to a Widow.

It was such a …. Family …. Thing to do.


	39. Chapter 39

39

It was a terse start to the evening meal, Johnny clearly not happy to be at the Captain's Table but for some reason Ianto seemed determined to have him there. Jack was curious why, Gwen's claims unfounded as Johnny had clearly never attended a meeting as she accused and he was in fact proudly wearing his Torchwood Family pin.

The discomfort was in the way Jack was looking at him, still trying to work out how he fitted into the Gorgan family. Despite Rhiannon's mostly human side she clearly respected Ianto's mostly Gorgan but then he remembered that Ianto was a rarity, not supposed to be so strongly thrown to that side.

"So Johnny, you know much about Gorgans before you married Rhia?" Jack asked and he shook his head with a grimace.

"When I first met her I didn't know there was one in the family, then on the day of our wedding this tall, silent man turned up in the most intimidating uniform covered in medals and proceeded to walk her down the aisle with this glower that made me balls shrivel. I thought he was her Da for a moment, some sort of hybrid with longevity, you know… those Firebirds that live for centuries or something. Then she introduced him as her little brother and I was like …shit." Johnny laughed, "Still, he's not aged a day since then. Don't know how he does it."

"You were not wrong about the drop of Firebird" Ianto said as he reached across to place another piece of meat on his child's plate, "there is. Once reaching adulthood my aging slowed. Like the Captain here, I will live four maybe five times longer than a human."

Silence.

Jack continued to chew his food and looked up, "Is something wrong?"

"What do you mean, live longer?" Johnny asked with confusion.

"Why we were chosen to lead" Jack said, "Well, and our impeccable records but I am Boeshanninan, we live for about five hundred years if we are lucky, Ianto's Gorgan blood mixed with a touch of Firebird makes him …what? Four?"

"I believe I was estimated to have the live span of three and a half to four, yes" Ianto nodded sagely, "As this mission is prolonged they saw fit to add those who might see it to completion."

"Why didn't they explain that?" Johnny queried.

"Because the Humans for Humanity were being enough of a thorn in the paw of the powers that be" Ianto explained, "A lot of crew are mostly human but some tweaked so they will either live longer or their offspring will fill their spots. One of the reasons your family were shortlisted was me, the other was the fact you have a child of each gender to add to the gene pool. I believe David had shown a good heart and intelligence when it comes to the classroom and may follow his mother into the field of learning where as Micha here is already a demon on the hydraulic lifts and don't think I did not know you sneak her down to play on the large machines. I have for several weeks been well aware of her little hands growing strong enough to control a hydro fork lift capable of lifting the large Cargo Crates. I was well proud when I saw her accomplish this on the CCTV. This third one about to arrive and cause havoc will also be watched and encouraged into whatever field she shows aptitude for."

"This journey is for the natural term of your life, you know you will both probably never see the settlement we will one day build but your children might, theirs will for sure. I will be there to guide them" Jack said softly, watching as Johnny sat back and nodded.

"So … the entire Humans for Humanity thing was even stupider. Shit. David? You really wanna be a teacher?" Johnny asked.

David perked up as he smiled at his Da, "Oh yes please. I think I can do that, it's important to help."

"Good heart in that one" Harrison pointed at his cousin, "helps the little ones all the time."

Ianto smiled lovingly at his son as he resisted the urge to point out that he was a little one himself and instead he looked over at his nephew, "Well I am well pleased with that. Our family continuing to help others. I am proud of you."

David looked like he might burst.

Rhia says you have offered to attend as witness" Johnny said after a while and Jack answered before Ianto could empty his mouth.

"We would love to. I am so excited to meet a new life, especially when this one joins the family" Jack jiggled in the chair with glee, "I bet she will be so cute I will want to steal her."

Johnny saw how gentle hearted the man was when not in Captain Mode and he finally saw why his wife had encouraged him to look past his nerves and give their Captain a chance. Not stuck up and aloof like he had expected of one who joined with his quietly terrifying brother-in-law at all.

Johnny grinned as he saw a potential ally against the Grogan temper.

Finally, he saw a friend.


	40. Chapter 40

40

Hertix delivered early in the morning with Ianto and Jack standing witness. Jack was overly excited and refused to leave when Owen had to do the cleansing of the Birthing Home … the Gorgan name for the womb and Jack was interested to see that there was no pain as he held the man's hand, just Owen's gentle purging of the afterbirth and a sluicing to cleanse then help the birth canal close over.

It had been wonderful, exciting and humbling for Jack who had never witnessed a Gorgan birthing before, let alone a male one and as the baby was passed to him for a blessing he was instantly in love with this tiny being.

"Ahhhhhhhhh, look. Hewwoooo" Jack crooned happily, "You are soooo sweet, yeah, so lovely and beautiful. Wow, how perfect you are."

Hertix puffed with pride as he heard the fine praise of the Captain, the closest thing to royalty now and Ianto accepted the baby solemnly with a gentle smile of welcome, "Hello youngling. What a glorious life you shall have, borne in a place without pollution or sickness. You will be stronger and healthier than those borne of Sol3's sorrows and you will be so clever and loved."

"Thank you brother" Hertix sighed with relief as his child was blessed and he whispered, "My mate's name was Lenno. I wish to call our child after his father. He is Lenno."

"Lenno, yes. Hello Lenno Torchwood" Jack said as he took the child back, "From here on we are all Torchwood. One family and you are the first born to the new family name. You will be remembered in the stories as the first of the new civilisation."

"Such an honour" Hertix sighed happily, drifting as Rhiannon took the baby and they were ushered from the room to let the new parental rest.

"Now that was cool" Jack said happily, "Did you see how he slid from the berthing slit? Like … whoooosh….then ….then ….plop!"

Ianto was walking sedately like it was normal for the captain to bounce, flap his arms and rickochett off walls as the other crew members simply walked around them, also now used to the man's morning excitement even as their FO was usually emotionless until his third cup of coffee.

They entered the Mess to find their table set and waiting, Ianto sliding into his chair with a sigh as Jack bounced over to get a plate of food. "Ianto? Eggs? Ianto?"

"No thank you Jack, just some toast? We have jam?" Ianto called back and three jams promptly arrived with six slices of toast which Ianto could never eat. Ianto was touched as always by his mate's nurturing ways. So Gorgan for one who was not. It seemed to please a part of Ianto he hadn't known was there, his 'other' self pleased to be considered worthy of a little care.

After they ate Jack kissed Ianto and bounced off to the bridge to begin a split shift and Ianto considered options then headed to the Farm Level, entering to find some lambs bouncing about as crew laughed and tried to catch them. After joining the fun and finding himself filthy he return to quarters and washed, pulling on a fresh tunic and he turned to leave the room only to find his mate in the doorway.

"I wondered where you were, your pin stopped signalling" Jack said and Ianto glanced at his dirty tunic with surprise.

"It appears to be missing …. Oh gods, did a lamb eat it?" Ianto was horrified and Jack laughed as they went back to check, finding the pin sitting on a table cleaned and waiting. But not working.

"Damn" Ianto sighed, "Damaged? We better take it to Tosh."

Toshiko looked at the pin and clucked her tongue, "No, it's too far gone. I will have to issue another."

Ianto sighed and agreed as she placed another on his tunic then told Mainframe to recalibrate, Ianto waiting patiently for her to finish.

"You know, you had that pin since the very beginning with the prototype" Toshiko said as she looked a the screen, "You've changed since then. You have a different metabolism and…well, well. Maybe it's the nanites that have made some adjustments as well as you eating more these days but your numbers have altered. In a good way."

"Well that is a comfort, be a shame if they were in a bad way" Ianto deadpanned and she laughed softly as she closed the file and told him he was now OK to leave. He asked for the destroyed pin, taking it home to place on the mantelpiece, his love of tat shown around the room and Jack loved the strange order to things that made it all look so randomly yet precisely placed.

"You are getting a collection of things" Jack said happily, "I like it, like a little shrine to our journey."

"I know it I just a pin but Tosh it right, it was the first pin given as I was the tester. I wore that pin form the first day I stepped foot on Excalibur. Seems funny to see it sitting there, although I do like the newer more refined ones. I designed these" Ianto said as he tapped the smaller pin with the Torchwood logo.

"I liked it at once, the old design" Jack smiled, "Just like I liked the man wearing it, this one I like too but not as much as the man wearing it."

Ianto's blush was both rare and glorious.


	41. Chapter 41

41

The cadets were on the Bridge, helping Toshiko with a battery array change over and they looked so proud in their little uniforms, their Torchwood pin jauntily on their chests with serious expressions as they all held their tablets out to go over the step by step instructions as Tosh pretended to do as they requested. Of course she wrote the lesson but it was clear they were feeling so important helping.

Ianto entered and sighed as he found the chair empty and Jack sitting in the floor with a tiny Klittog in his lap gushing at her wee uniform and pin that filled half her chest. Ianto calmly took the chair and checked the numbers as his mate enjoyed the noise and bluster of the little ones, his laughter loud as they talked about things happening in the world of younglings.

Finally they all left and Jack bounced to the chair, leaning against it as he said softly, "Were they cute or what? Hey, Rhia is due soon right? Will we get cuddle duty? Yeah?"

"I am sure she will see reason and allow you Cuddle Time with the newling. She will no doubt appreciate some breaks for rest" Ianto assured him, "You are a wonderful parental and she has noticed your kind handling of our children."

Our children.

Jack found himself a bit gushy at that one, Ianto so easily lumping all three into one bracket. Harrison is such a wonderful wee cuddle monster and often Jack would find him crawling in early in the morning with tiny mewls of hope, his whiskers so tickly as he snuggles in for morning kat kisses.

"Hey, you hungry?" Jack suddenly asked and Ianto sighed as he reminded him that they had just eaten a couple of hours ago. "Oh yeah. Just hungry again. Maybe it's you, smelling so good today Mister Harkness-Jones. You smell like you need a good licking."

Ianto froze, his entire self slowly swivelling to glare at Jack who seemed to finally remember where they were and blush, "Oops. Sorry but you are so … so …. Pretty today."

"Pretty? Sir, are you being deliberately infuriating?" Ianto frowned and Jack shrugged.

"Aw, come on. You know you wore that tunic just to annoy me. Red. Not the blue regulation, you were the red of Gorgania just to tease!" Jack said as he held his hands up and Ianto looked down at himself with surprise.

"I do not even remember choosing this one, I could have sworn …. Well my closet must have been messed up. Perhaps one of the younglings playing about as I reached to the left as I always do and didn't even consider it would not be the blue of the left hand side." Ianto said with ease, not at all caring as all uniforms had been relaxed to allow those who wished to wear the uniforms of their people instead of Sol3.

"Well I like it on you" Jack assured him, "Red is your colour."

"Thank you Cariad, I shall go check with the Engine Room" Ianto smiled and headed for the doors, "Permission to leave the bridge."

"Granted" Jack said as he turned to watch the screen, a small asteroid slowly drifting past to port. "That's the second one right?"

"Yes captain, five in total and all collated into the system, Mainframe had calculated and our flight path allows for them" Andy said comfortably as he swung in his chair. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"The wee one, what did he call him?"

"Ah you weren't here this morning were you. Lenno after his departed mate" Jack ginned as he caught on to Andy's weird question, "Tiny and so cute. I am sure that if you and Rhys want to pay your respects you would be welcome. It's the custom for Gorgan to allow cuddles, they have some belief that the touch of family members helps the newling feel welcome. Cute huh?"

"Rhys will be sure to bring some food, I bet Hertix is hungry, always a strain when breastfeeding" Andy swung back to his task at hand and Jack hummed happily as he saw the way the crew were welcoming the newling, the beginning of their new line of wee Woodies.

"Andy, would you and Rhys care to join us at the Captain's Table tonight?" Jack asked and Andy nodded happily, this being a regular occurrence as Jack randomly chose crew each night to join them as he hoped this would help show unity as Dragone sat as comfortably as Catkind or human. He still wished some of the night creatures could be included, those who hid and hated the light but he hadn't worked out a way for that yet.

He made a mental note to ask Ianto, he might have an idea as he usually did.

The day went without incident bar a child falling in the children's play area and Jack checking on CCTV to find Ianto in there cuddling the little purple skinned child with a tender cuddle and soft kiss to her silver hair as he comforted with such a sweetness that Jack found himself transfixed.

Ianto hardly every showed affection but when he did his face became so soft, his smile so full of warmth and soon the little one was running and playing as Ianto regained his seat by his sister and Jack had to admit that he was becoming addicted to this man.

Gods he smelt so good lately.


	42. Chapter 42

42

"So, you saw wee Lenno" Jack said excitedly as he leaned closer to Rhys and pointed to his shoulder where a little spit up was still visible. Rhys shone as he gushed with Jack about the delicate little one.

"Who would have known, Gorgan are so tiny" Rhys said with glee. "I've never seen a naturally male made one."

"The male body is not traditionally built to carry a child which is why many lose their seed in those first few weeks, the male bred offspring are born smaller due to the shorter growth cycle. They develop quicker and are ready to go at six months incubation which is why we were surrogated by a female host as is the modern custom" Ianto explained calmly, "They gain weight at a great speed, hungry little buggers."

"Oh yeah, did Hertix like the food?" Jack asked and Rhys nodded enthusiastically as they had a long conversation about the different foods Gorgan like. For a part-Gorgan Rhys was animated, his human side freely displayed and Jack could see Andy hanging in his every word with open affection. Jack wondered if he looked as dedicated and finally realised that he was smothering Ianto a little.

Ianto rose and bowed politely then headed after the children who wanted to go home, Jack finishing his duties as captain and once again he saw why Ianto had sidestepped the job so neatly, the constant assurances and palm pressing tiring. Even Rhys shied away in the end, his grimace of apology as he fled those seeking to touch and fawn over the captain for a moment on the spotlight.

Gorgan do not like attention.

"Rhiannon is due?" Andy asked and Jack grinned, nodding enthusiastically as he told him it was probably going to be this very evening and Ianto had gone to drop the children off with Donna before preparing.

"Apparently they have to do a whole series of things when the baby is coming" Jack gushed, "So exciting."

"It must be, Rhys and I have not started the discussions about our own family yet but I am hopeful" Andy said, then caned his head, "Rhiannon, she's having a girl right?"

"Yeah" Jack said happily "A little princess."

"Well, best hop to it, they hate tardiness." Andy reminded and Jack nodded as he slid from the chair so Andy could take his place and he headed home to find his fresh tunic laid out and Ianto freshly washed and already re-suited in a traditional Gorgan suit, so handsome and virile Jack wanted to nibble at him a bit but he could see how nervous Ianto was and so he didn't push it.

The little one came as easily as the previous Witness and Jack gushed as he looked down at Ianto's tiny button nose on a little one, "Awwww, look. You might have had one that looked like this wee princess."

Ianto looked up from where he was quietly helping his sister and canted his head in question so Jack elaborated, "You know, if you had found someone to breed with."

Ianto leaned back and Rhiannon's' smile faded slightly as she saw her brother's face change to one of confusion, "Jack? We are a mated pair, right?"

"You make us sound like swans or something. Mated pair. Gods no. We are partners. A bonded pair right? Gods … mated. Sounds as bad as couple. No, no. You are my companion, my …my…. Well. Husband I guess."

Jack was looking at the baby and did not see the sudden change in the room as both sister and bother seemed to draw extra breath, "Jack? What do you mean? You do not wish to mate?"

"I have my kids. I wanted you. Ianto, you and I are equals outside of the bridge when I am the boss, we are like…like… why are you making a thing of this? Didn't I drink the wine? Say the words?" Jack demanded, "Did I not slide the ring on your finger and make you mine?"

"Yours. Exactly."

"What is wrong with you! You've been weird lately; Ianto our bonding was a declaration of affection, right? I love you, so very much and you wear my ring to show you are mine, as I am yours."

"But we are not a mated pair."

Jack was getting annoyed now and finally looked over with the intention of scolding but stopped when he saw open dismay, "Ianto?"

"You…you…you drank the wine. You joined our blood and drank it. I thought …. You… I apologise sir, I made a tactical error it would seem and read too much into an act where I should have been clearer in my intent. I wanted to be a mated pair with you, I did not consider the fact you might not wish to be. I apologise." Ianto drew himself up and Jack's confusion grew.

"Ianto, what's wrong?"

"Nothing Cariad, I made a mistake." Ianto smiled and Jack knew the rarity of those words as Gorgan never admit to a mistake without it being something dire.

"One that's OK? I mean, nothing we can't fix right?" Jack asked and Ianto seemed to shudder then smile and nod as Rhiannon made a small noise of dismay.

Jack missed that too.


	43. Chapter 43

43

"But she's cute?" Andy asked as he and Rhys moved around their captain, his plate of food getting replenished as they worked.

"Perfect, oh. oh. she has Ianto's nose" Jack nodded, "I said to him that if he had ever bred he might have one that looked like that. He went a bit weird."

Rhys stopped and turned slowly as Andy continued to scoop little miniature pasties onto the Captain's plate and asked, "How do you mean … weird?"

"Like… he didn't like me saying it. I guess he's a bit raw that he doesn't have a child of his blood, ya know?" Jack said as he sampled another delicacy.

Rhys frowned, "Sir, you do realise…"

"What's that?" Andy cut in, his finger going to his earwig, "Say again Bridge? The Captain is here."

Jack placed his own coms on then they headed up as they heard to an impending problem, Ianto already in the chair which he slid from with ease, "Captain. Picking up a distress signal from what appears to be a Jupilat vessel. They are saying there is a black hole near them disrupting their instruments and they request a safe way out of the system. Mainframe if efforting a flight path to send their computer."

"Jupiat? We don't have a treaty with them anymore" Jack frowned "Are they not barred from this sector?"

"Yes Captain but as I just said there is a black hole…"

"I heard you Ianto" Jack cut him off, "But we must adhere to the Agency Rules and Mainframe will have to effort a flight path away from us, not towards."

"They have offspring" Ianto bristled, his frown deepening ain a rare display of annoyance, "again I urge you to…"

"Ianto I am the captain here and I say that this is nothing to do with us. They declared war on our sector and it has never been resolved. Need I remind you that this is my boat?" Jack snapped and Ianto took a deep, sharp breath in as his eyes widened.

"Sir" Tosh said softly, as she swung to warn Jack that he was going into dangerous territory himself but he was not looking in her direction to catch the warning.

"Ianto, please go do whatever you were tabled to do, I am about to fix the rosters anyway. You have put our afternoon shifts together again and I wanted them apart" Jack waved his hand and Ianto stepped forward.

"Jack, the shifts are together so we can have the evening for…"

"Mainframe, can you recalibrate?" Jack demanded over top and Ianto glowered then spun to leave, hesitating.

"Permission to leave the bridge Captain."

"Granted…Ianto?"

Ianto hesitated, turning slowly to glower at Jack.

"Sorry if I sounded a bit terse then, I am just reminded of the attack on Boeshane when I was just a child. These creatures are not like us." Jack said softly, "I do not want this to be a pissing contest. Please, we are bonded and I do not want to pull rank."

"Yet you just did" Ianto reminded him as he sighed, "A bonded pair. Not a mated pair. This is a clarification I could have done with sooner as you drank the wine of joined blood. This is my fault, it was not explained to you what it meant. I see now that I was remiss, apologies."

Jack frowned now as he became confused, "When did this become about that again?"

"I will not bring it up again" Ianto assured him, "I understand now . I know my place, your decisions. I will live with that. Bonded. Not mates. I will go see Owen and fix this. Thank you sir."

Ianto left and Jack continued to swing in his hair then he turned to Tosh with confusion, "Why does he need Owen to fix it?"

"A bonded pair, not a mated pair" Andy repeated "You just told him you do not want to breed with him Captain. Bonded pairs are companions to one another. There is no offspring. You have just told him you do not want a child with him. He is probably going to get birth control or something."

"Oh" Jack said with surprise, "But I can't cary a child, I was injured in battle."

"Captain, you drank the wine" Tosh said softly, "The chalice of wine with your combined blood. To drink from it signifies a blending of your bloodlines. He thought it meant you wanted to breed with him. The birth control will be for him now you have clarified that you do not wish to breed."

Jack blinked, cursed and rose from the chair, running form the bridge.

"Does that mean I have the chair?" Andy asked with confusion and Tosh sighed as she nodded.

Tosh glanced over at Swanson who had been watching the exchange and they share a look of doom. They both knew that Jack was going to be too late.

They both were.


	44. Chapter 44

44

Jack entered the room and found Ianto seated with Owen sitting opposite, their hands clutched together as Owen frowned at Ianto with obvious confusion. Owen looked at Jack and rose, taking a deep breath.

"Right. I sometimes wonder how I can have two friends who love one another so deeply yet be so stupid with one another. I mean…shit…Jack please tell me you read the updates I send? Those little side bars about Gorgan custom and rite I send? Do you read any of them?" Owen demanded and Jack tried to think.

"Ah, some of them. I have a folder and I keep them all. I am going to read them when I have time" Jack said sheepishly after he realised Owen was not going to back away and Owen face palmed, motioning for him to sit.

"Right. Bullshit over. Gorgan have these rules and shit that they are rigid about, for that reason there are times he cannot tell you something even if he wants to scream it into your face so loud the skin peels off. Understand?" Owen sat with a look of thunder, "I try to give you a heads up and I know Andy is too. Rhys is even worse than this one due to the doomed bonding with Gwen that we all know was part of her cover. He is so hurt that he may never loosen up. Shit. Right, I will talk, you will listen an Ianto, you will not stop me. OK?"

Both men nodded.

"Right. Jack, you are Boeshanninan and as such could get preggers but a battle injury means that is not going to happen right?"

Jack nodded.

"Ianto, you are Gorgan and can get preggers."

Ianto nodded as Jack's eyes widened and Owen shot him a warning glare.

"Right. There is a difference between a bonded pair and a mated pair. A bonded pair are like friends with benefits. A mated pair breed. OK?"

Again with silent nodding.

"The ritual of joining blood in the chalice and both sipping signified the desire to join bloodlines and breed. Since the ritual Ianto had been more demanding as a bottom than the previous top?"

Ianto's look of horror was stark as Jack nodded sagely.

"Right. It never occurred to you that there might be a reason ya numpty? Or why he is now happy to be either? The last week or so things have become more…. Dabbling? Less mating imperative and more, fun?"

Jack nodded as Ianto's blush now crept down his throat.

"And you didn't read the things I sent, you didn't consider that things were …..ah….evolving between you and you also never thought about your dynamics as a couple."

Jack shrugged.

"Hell's teeth. Right. Gorgan have rules and stupid rites, lore and shit. Stop glaring at me Godzilla, I am not afraid of you. Right. Since the ceremony in which you declared as a Mated Pair, not a bonding, it was a mating, he has bottomed and I suspect a bit violently much to your excitement. Probably couldn't think of much at all when he was demanding but now he's eased up and is being more attentive and you have found a nice rhythm. This is because he is no longer frantic to please you. Dickhead" Owen punctuated the word with a push at Jack's shin with his foot, "Jack, he can't tell you. You see, Gorgan males don't fall easily and more than 70% lose the seed within the first six weeks. He cannot tell you until after that time which they call the Time of Hope. I am not Gorgan so I can tell you that he has fallen and is about three weeks gone right now."

Both men sucked in air, one from shock and the other anger.

"Look mate, I am not breaking the rules. You've not told him. Right? He is not Gorgan. How many times do I have to tell you that he has no idea what is going on? Cut him some slack here, you chose a mate with the inability to read simple messages sent by his friend trying to help him. He was never going to get it. You would be big and fat with offspring and he might think it was from all the food he was shoving down your throat. He is thinking of his own tenuous ability to conceive. Not yours."

Ianto canted his head and then looked at Jack, "Cariad? You really thought it would be you that carried our child?"

"Yes. No. Yes. Well … I did hope for a child with you and ….well …. I thought you changing our sexual positions meant you didn't want one. You being the bottom so I couldn't seed even though the scaring means it would be a rare thing" Jack shrugged as Ianto face palmed and started to snigger.

"So … the tepid little rat man is correct? You do?" Ianto asked with mirth, "This possibly seeded man is stupid too"

Owen gasped "Really? A Gorgan has made a mistake? Like…. How bloody weird indeed."

Jack grinned as he saw that Ianto had done the usual Gorgan thing of stepping away from the problem to consider it as a glitch and he slid closer in his chair.

"Ianto, I want a child with you. Lots. I want…I want a bunch of them all screaming, complaining, cuddling, kissing, humming…"

"I do not hum!" Ianto said firmly and Jack grinned.

"Forgiven?"

"Of course Cariad. Always."


	45. Chapter 45

45

Ianto let Jack lead him to the Mess when he sat and waited patiently for his food, his blush now fading to a more manageable level. He was still shocked and angered that Owen had said such private things but also so grateful that it had cleared the air.

It had never occurred to him that Jack didn't not know the manner of their relationship and he felt remorse for his oversight. Typical Gorgan he now saw this as his fault. By the time Jack returned with food Ianto was full of morose.

"Hey, you OK good looking?"

Ianto looked up and sighed, "I am annoyed with myself for overlooking your humanness. I was pigheaded to assume you might automatically understand me. I am sorry."

"Me too. I love you, I want to learn. I am just as pigheaded as you I think. That's our biggest hurdle, the natural assumption we are on the same page when we are clearly reading different books sometimes" Jack shrugged as he settled and Ianto smiled as Jack cut his sausage for him.

"Cariad. You do know the reason I let you feed me is that I see you are my ….ah….alpha? That the word? The dominant partner is the one who provides. You do realise that right? I always sit and let you feed the children as it is Gorgan way that the head of the clump provides for his family"

Jack sat and looked at Ianto with surprise, "Babe, I ever even thought about it. I like to get the food, I like to choose and present the plates to the kids. Their excited faces and little meow of glee form Harry. I just thought you liked to sit and wait. Really? Me fetching the plates shows me as the head of the …what did you call it? Clump?"

"Yes. Apologies for not explaining. Yes. You cook in our quarters, here you fetch. You provide. You are the dominant. This is the other reason why I assumed I would…. You know. Carry." Ianto's hand fluttered near his belly and Jack grinned as he filled their juice glasses.

"All this time I thought it made me the wife. You are now telling me that it makes you the wife?"

Ianto huffed with annoyance but Jack saw the glint of amusement and knew they had turned some corner, grinning as he leaned back to regard his…. Beloved. Yeah.

"Ianto, I love you." Jack said loudly, others listening as Ianto blushed again, Jack being so un-Gorgan with this public display. "Ianto, you rock my worlds. You float my boat and baby you definitely set me on fire!"

"Stop it" Ianto hissed, looking down at his plate with horror mixed with glee. "I shall ask Tosh to set you on fire for real if you do not restrain yourself sir!"

"Ah, you beautiful mate, my lovely mate how I want to take you back to our berth and lick every inch of your body while you make decadent noises that only my ears will ever hear" Jack sing-songed as Ianto now became crimson with horror.

"Captain!"

"First Mate. Only Mate. Beloved Mate" Jack pondered , "My Precious Mate. Handsome Mate…"

Ianto rose, his fork clattering as he lifted the plate and turned to speak to the man mere feet away watching intently, "Rhys, I shall return your plate later. The arsehole …ah …. Captain….and I will partake of our meal in our quarters where his brain malfunction is not so obvious."

"Ahhhhh….. my Clever Mate!" Jack crowed, then lifted his own plate snagging more butter rolls as he winked at Rhys, "My Hungry Mate."

Giggling had started as the crew watched the flirting, Ianto's pretend annoyance marred by his furtive glances to make sure Jack was following and more than once he failed to hide the grin as Jack piled more food onto the plate, "Ahhhhhh….. my Tall Mate. Impatient Mate, stop growling. Aggggh. Bossy Mate."

"Cariad!"

"Ooooo, Warning Mate."

Once they had left the place started to laugh as Rhys shot back into the kitchen and hugged himself with glee.

He saw.

He smelt.

He knew.

The Captain's lovely, handsome, clever, precious, embarrassed….. pregnant Mate!


	46. Chapter 46

46

The school was flooded.

Don't ask me how, apparently none of the children knew either but apparently one little boy had been found lodged in the toilet with a look of thunder as the other children glared at him and Ianto decided to let it go.

Line.

Unfortunately the captain was not Gorgan and had yet to respect the Line and was still pressing his son for answers as Harrison slid around to hide behind his Taddy on the sofa. If Ianto noticed the Kat clambering up the back of the sofa to sit like a gargoyle perched by his shoulder he gave no indication of it as he continued to talk to Hertix on the vid-com.

"Look, I got a smile today" Hertix said as he held up the sleeping baby all rolled in the blanket like a burrito, "and you blanket you provided is so soft it produces squeaks of delight after a bath."

"He is growing so fast, much credit to you brother" Ianto said happily as he drank in the tiny face and then Lenno opened his eyes to stare at Ianto thorugh the screen, the tiny squeak of recognition cute too.

"Ahhhhh, Hewooooo"

Jack had abandoned his integration to croon, his excitement clear as he crowed Ianto to peer into the screen and look at the baby as he gushed, "Awwwww, I wanna cuddle!"

Hertix gave a gentle nod to Jack which was as much affection as a full Gorgan can give "And a little one is now wriggling like a manic at the sound of your voice. Perhaps Mess for lunch Captain?"

"YUM!" Jack crowned, "Food AND baby YAAAAAY!"

Jack bounced off the sofa and Hertix looked at his baby "Do you hear that? I am sure if he wants to cuddle you or eat you now. You are sweeter than candy."

Ianto smiled as he wondered how his own child might make him feel, the one currently running paws through his hair as if a monkey searching for lice like the documentary they had watched the night before was definitely worthy of joy. Hertix watched the little Kat and asked "And you Master Harrison? What is your view on babies? Do you share the captain's madness?"

"Nah" Harrison replied sagely, "They smell and just sort of…. Stare at you. Weird."

Ianto didn't seem to react but Jack wondered if that hurt so he prodded, "But you would like one, right? Seriously, think of being a big brother to a little one who looks up at you with excitement every time there is an adventure. You and Stephen taking a wee hand and leading him or her to the table? Helping with the learning of how to do up a tunic?"

"Yeah" Harrison's face lit up, "When they are that big for sure. Lenno will be so much fun when toddling. I love helping them walk."

Jack watched Ianto smile softly and knew he had made the right decision in challenging Harrison so he turned to Alice next, "and you my queen? I know you will be a lovely help with Lenno right? A real mama?"

"Oh yes, can we look after him sometimes? I wanna watch him sleep" she gushed, Hertix again bowing politely to show delight in the affections being shown.

Ianto smiled, then checked the time, "Time for Rhiannon to move, I shall see you at class shortly."

"I am gladdened that you continue to come now the newlings are here" Hertix said calmly, "It means a lot to us that you are continuing with your visits, many feel peace in their own journeys of growth."

"My queen was pregnant when I met her, Harrison born in my bed. I held him first, a little slimy ball of anger cupped in my hand and I knew then the beauty of birth. I also knew I would die to protect him. He was mine. The fur, the differences were slight compared to what was in common. Love." Ianto nodded, "We all need one another here, I will continue to Witness to any who ask, I will continue to encourage my children to befriend others and for other children to approach me if they are in need of affection or guidance from a parental."

"Admirable" Hertix said and Ianto shook his head.

"No, it is how it should be if we are to all be family" Ianto replied and he rose from the sofa, "See you at the clinic brother and perhaps a child or to wants to come visit with their cousin and help with travel to Mess after."

"I do!"

"Me!"

"Oi, me too!"

"Me!" Jack wailed over top of the three children and Ianto laughed happily as he motioned for them to go change into ship-wide tunics.

Jack leaned in and stole a kiss before the vid-com winked out and Hertix allowed a smile.

Things were looking better within that berth for certain.


	47. Chapter 47

47

The family entered with a hiss and a roar, the hiss from Harrison and the roar from Stephen as he berated the man who had shut the door on Harrison's tail and Jack was horrified as he clutched the Kat and rushed for a chair to check the tail for damage.

Ianto chose a seat and placed his tablet down, watching Jack kiss the tail from the tip right up to the boy's tailbone, crooning and apologising as the Kat started to giggle, his eyes glistening as he looked over at Stephen and whispered, "See? Dadda can kiss my arse!"

"Language" Ianto said calmly as Jack froze and then lifted Harrison to face him.

"What did you just say?" Jack demanded and Harrison realized he had heard the whispered exchange "Did you just call me Dadda?"

Harrison blinked, "Er…yes?"

Jack cuddled the Kat happily and whispered, "I kiss your Taddy's arse too."

Harrison started to giggle and snort as he rubbed his face into Jack's chest, the lovefest watched by the Baby and Me Class as Ianto ignored it as commonplace and everyone gushed over the loving image of the children clustered around the captain, a wee Dragone chewing his bootlace happily.

Owen picked up the tablet from beside Ianto and perused it, Hertix swinging to watch as did several others with wide eyes as Owen made a notation and placed it back down before sliding to the floor to play with the baby Dragone. Eyes watched that tablet as Ianto lifted it to read the note, then place it back down and a hand slid across his belly before he rose to scoop a child up for attention.

Looks were shared and a Dragone made a small noise of delight before turning to offer Owen her tablet, Ianto's declaration so loud to those who understood it and some now also saw that the poison whispers that this coupling was merely political had been hateful lies, the affection as Ianto leaned in to cat-kiss Jack raw.

"Come on now, let's all go to the Mess" Jack said happily as he snatched up baby Lenno, "This one is mine. Mine I tell ya!"

They traipsed to the Mess where Rhys looked up from his cake decorating with surprise, then glee. Gorgan glee was like an overly efficient fussing and he rushed to move tables into one huge line as the Baby and Me group settled to eat. He even managed to get hold of the little Dragone for a while, seeing the beauty in the small scaled child who made lovely cooing noises as it stroked his face.

"Captain" Tosh's voice called over open coms, "We have a slight problem."

"Oh dear" Ianto sighed as Jack rose from the table, shoving another piece of cake into his mouth before leaving the table. Jack headed up to the Bridge and Ianto thanked Rhys who offered to let the children all help with the cup cake decorating, several parentals helping happily as they had shifts off due to the breakage …er….flooding.

Ianto found them all in deep conversation on the Bridge and he frowned turning to Tosh to ask quietly, "Tosh? Report?"

"That vessel hailing us for help is now in the gravitational pull of the black hole. Unfortunately their engines were unable to manoeuvre away which is why they were coming towards us." She whispered, "Their powers that be rejected Mainframe's suggested course. Looks like they may perish."

Ianto took a deep breath and looked over at his mate who was looking at him with something akin to horror so Ianto nodded, "Right. Options."

The place erupted and Jack held up a hand, "Whoa, come on. One at a time, Andy what was that about the Away Vessels?"

"If they fire their life pods on the side furthest from the anomaly with their pod thrusters on max it would give them extra time, we could scoop them up on the Away Vessels if we act fast." Andy explained, "We work in tandem, one unloads as the other scoops. We can't get them all but we can do the best we can. Their children at least?"

Ianto nodded as he looked to his mate, "Captain you know you are the most trained in the flying of said Away Vessels, Andy flies the other one as I oversee thongs from the chair here."

"Perhaps it would seem better if the is captain manning the chair" Swanson said with a frown, "You can fly those vessels too. You are Alpha Class FO."

"No, Ianto has called it" Jack said as he turned to Andy, "Tell them to do it now, by the time we get to the bay Ianto will have the vessels warmed up by remote. Let's go do what we can."

"Even if there is no treaty?" Ianto couldn't help but ask and Jack knew he had been wrong earlier, turning to bow to Ianto.

"As you put it, we are all one people out here in the black. I forgot that for a moment, I am corrected my love" Jack said before turning to run from the Bridge and Ianto sat to key up the vessels, lighting their fires and beginning the sequence of events that would fill them to the gunnels with shell-shocked and grieving peoples who had to accept that not all could be saved in time.

It would be a dark day.


	48. Chapter 48

48

Ianto was livid and let the captain of the vessel know, his galactic standard both fluid and acidic as he roared at the vid-screen and then slumped with fatigue as the vessel started to slowly list on the screen.

There had only been a handful of children in the lifepods, mostly officials and high ranking crew in the others. Ianto's dismay at knowing both parentals and children were about to perish making him uncommonly angry as he gnashed his teeth and informed Jack of what was happening.

"Andy, scan and grab all lifepods with children on board first" Jack barked, "if there is time left we then go for adults."

They started to swoop and snatch lifepods, Jack more agile and returning first to find Ianto in the bay waiting, "Swanson is right, I can move faster than Andy. I would have kept pace with you."

"Ianto…"

"Cariad, we both know this is true." Ianto whispered "Andy will take the chair and chase us along the outer rim, we can have an extra sweep each if the Torchwood scoops us up last and boots it out of there."

A kiss and Ianto turned as the other vessel landed, an ashen faced Andy peering down from the cockpit with tears flowing freely down his face. Ianto motioned him out and as he passed him Andy grabbed for Ianto and hugged him "thanks. I can't do it. I can't choose. Shit, thanks for taking over."

"Davison, take the chair" Jack yelled as he clambered back into his own huge vessel and they took off, both vessels now moving with a natural grace those watching on the large screens were transfixed by.

The final tally was woefully small for what had been a 300 crew vessel. Twenty one children and eight adults, two of which had been in a pod with a baby. Only a quarter of the lifepods deployed at all, those with adults on board heavier and falling back to the gravitational pull of the black hole sooner.

Ianto was beyond upset as he landed behind his mate and they stepped out to let the lifpods get unloaded, Johnny grim faced as he carefully picked up one that had mother and child marked on the side, placing it on the floor to be opened by Tosh and the other techs waiting with an ashen faced Owen.

The woman was silent, staring up at Owen like she didn't quite believe it, the baby in her arms mewling and definitely not hers. Catkind. She must have been a nanny given the way she was possessively clutching the Kit and Ianto stepped forward to help her out speaking in Catkind as he reassured her that she was safely on the rescue vessel.

She handed over the little one and Ianto crooned as he cuddled the little one and she then clambered out, reaching for the baby once more, "Please. She is mine."

"Yours?" Jack smiled, "She is lovely."

"My friends died from Strangles and I was her godmother, I proudly do my best even if I am not Catkind" she sighed.

"I have a Kat myself, my son is lovely and such a wonderful gift" Ianto said as he handed the baby over, "There is no judgement in the mixed family. We have several here."

"This is all there is?" she looked at the lifepods littering the bay and Owen rose to address her.

"Yeah, these pods are not for deep space, only planetary movement. Seems you were short-changed and left hanging "Owen looked around with dismay, "Most of them did not have the power to break free of the gravitational pull, those that were scooped up were a bloody miracle. These two risked themselves with the final sweeps."

"I will sue" she snarled, "I will expose those responsible for this outrage as soon as I may. I was sent to define the treaty under their banner of peace and this is how they treat me? I will show them what happened when you cross the Korhula!"

Jack cringed at the title she gave, showing herself to be of the high council of the shadow proclamation and he glanced over to see Ianto blinking slowly to show he also caught it, "Madam. How may we assist you now? I take it you have a destination in mind? We are on a peaceful mission to find a new Mecca, I am sure a visit to your home might help us see how different cultures work, all information is good information in our quest to build a new society."

"Really? If it is not a problem for you to deviate to my intended destination" she looked between those present and recognised Jack's Captain Epaulets on his collar, stepping forward, "I have coordinates. Take me home and I shall ensure a safe passage for your vessel through the outer rim."

Jack was reminded of an ancient saying.

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Most generous of you, we will of course be excited to see your home" Jack smiled and he ushered her from the bay as Ianto started organising clean-up.

They may salvage something from this.


	49. Chapter 49

49

Ianto felt sick, the final tally so horrible that he couldn't bear to think of those who perished so he went back to his quarters and thanked Donna for watching the children as he settled to have some quiet time with the children busy in the bedroom that was now more of a game room come nest. He didn't mind his son having a nest in there, or the fact Harrison shared it with Stephen most nights. It was nice to see them as siblings, Alice rolling her eyes as she spoke of her brothers both being stinky.

He let his hand slide around his belly as he wondered how this new spark would fit into the forest fire that was their life.

He had let his head fall back for a moment to rest his eyes and stirred awake with the door opening to allow Jack entry, his voice alerting Ianto to the fact he was bringing in company. Ianto had opened his tunic before dozing off and as he rose to greet his mate the small belly was obvious in the tight shirt.

"You are with child" she said as her Kat yowled with glee at the familiar smells of Catkind, "You were out there risking your life, and your unborn?"

"I am Gorgan" Ianto said sagely and pointed, the little one running on all fours as baby ones do and soon another yowl answered as Harrison gleefully called the baby to the nest.

"Hungry?" Jack asked as he pulled off his own tunic and Ianto silently accepted it along with a gentle kiss then he headed back to hang it up as Jack headed for the kitchen, "Vegetarian? Or is bacon OK?"

"Mates" she said softly, "You and your First Mate are bonded?"

"Yes, I am his" Jack said happily as he scrambled eggs, the bacon already in the re-constructer. "My child he carries. I am beyond excited."

She nodded, "So the other children?"

"The human two are mine. The Kat is Ianto's. We are both widowers who thought our duty would be to raise our children and ensure their futures. Imagine our shared shock and joy in realising we had a future too."

"He is …. Not just Gorgan" she said carefully and Jack snorted as he caught her discomfort.

"Ianto has a lot of bits and bobs in him, all lovely. I think the most interesting is the Firebird but there is something else that had them back at the outpost almost afraid of him" Jack frowned, "I need to know they are OK back there. Someone was dropped off and caused some disharmony. I sent a drone to check but it hasn't returned. I hope they are OK, a lovely ragtag bunch."

"We can check for you" she smiled rising as Ianto returned in a Gorgan robe, his hair fluffed to show he had showered. Jack left his spot at the food area to kiss him and gently ease him towards the sofa again.

"Come on love, we can be heathens and eat in the main room, yeah?" Jack crooned and Ianto shrugged as he agreed, too tired to care as long as he didn't have to clean up after the madness the children would create.

The little one came back out to check her mother was still there and she was drawn to the man with the belly, a being song hummed softly like an old nursery rhyme you know from the first words. Magic in the words. She clambered up to rub her face on the bump and meow at it happily, then settle against it as Ianto let his arms raise to allow the little one closer, then he petted the baby Kat absently as he closed his eyes and drifted.

She watched.

"Orange juice babe? Or do you want milk?"

"Hebborish Milk if the replicator is up to it" Ianto replied softly, "Feel like something sweet."

"My mother swore by it" Jack agreed as he pushed the button and hummed, joining Ianto's and the woman closed her eyes to enjoy the tune.

"What's her name?" Ianto asked, making her start then grin.

"Harvey"

"Lovely. Wonderful name" Ianto said as he let his head fall back again.

"I am Matilda" she said as she settled and found herself relaxing for the first time in forever, "This was to be our first holiday since I became her guardian. A nice wee jaunt before I take my place on the council."

"Well she is a lovely wee queen" Ianto assured her, "You are doing everything right, I know it can be scary taking on a Catkind Kit, they are so different from a human baby but such a rewarding experience, ah. Here is my Harrison now."

Harrison entered and looked around with interest, his whiskers twitching "Bacon?"

"Yes love, go rattle the others for me" Jack called and Harrison ran back to get the others with glee.

Matilda smiled to herself as she saw the family unit, her little one happily purring on the sofa and knew this had been providence.

She now knew what her inaugural address would be.

The power of a family unit no matter the blood or lack thereof.


	50. Chapter 50

50

Jack rolled in the bed, pleased to find it child free for a change as the nest seemed to have contained the beasts for a change and he reached out to shake Ianto when he saw he was deeply asleep.

Gods he was so…so…tired.

Jack sighed as he sat up and pulled the tablet over, opening Owen's file to read about Gorgan Pregnancy and he saw that Ianto was at the stage of Renewal. His body was changing and recreating itself for the baby as it got too big for the confines of the cavity it was in, Ianto would soon have a real baby belly that would be obvious and cumbersome. Of course Owen said it would be fucking huge but you know what I mean.

Jack looked at the rosters and did some lat minute tweaks, sending out requests that he knew would be answered positively as he explained Ianto's need to rest for the day. He then left a note for Ianto that he had the day off due to Baby and he slid from the bed to get the children up.

He entered the kitchen to find Rhiannon already there humming softly to herself as she worked and he blinked with surprise, then slide in to cuddle her from behind, "You know, I am taken but this is a lovely surprise."

She giggled as she slapped at him, ever doubting his affections were nothing more than brotherly and she pointed to the nest, "David had a nightmare and wanted his cousins. We came in and you were all asleep so I took the spare bed, is that OK?"

"Of course, any time. Johnny still on split shifts? I thought they sorted that out" Jack frowned.

"They are reconfiguring the third storage bay at the moment" she said as she worked, then explained about the shuffling that occurs as they need to reach different pods for things. Johnny was in high demand for his gentle hands on those toggles that could make a machine punch a hole in the fuselage if not careful.

"I like him" Jack said simply as he removed some bacon from the machine and keyed in jello as Harrison was big on it at the moment. Rhiannon swung to watch as she confirmed that Johnny had said the same thing.

One by one the children shuffled from the nest to the table, then Harrison looked around, "Where's Taddy?"

"Sleeping" Jack smiled softly as the little boy looked like a little kitten with his sleepy eyes blinking up at him, he leaned over and kissed him on the nose, "Lovely wee meow."

Harrison shone with delight as Jack moved to his usual chair, "Taddy's body is making changes to allow for the baby. It makes him tired, hungry and cranky. Not his fault, the body is an amazing thing."

Harrison had stalled out with his fork halfway to his mouth, considering this "Baby."

"Tad is preggers" Stephen said slowly to his furry bother, "We are going to have our own baby to squish like Lenno."

"So small" Alice said softly, "Will ours be tiny too?"

"Yes" Jack nodded, "Gorgan men have little babies because their bodies make them that way. Perfect and healthy, look at wee Lenno. Already biting and a wee tooth."

"He bit my finger!" David said with glee as Stephen giggled.

"Well, my new brother or sister could bit your face off!" Alice said calmly as she battered a piece of toast and they all laughed happily, the thought of a tiny Ianto with sharp Gorgan teeth gnashing.

Harrison had gone quiet, fiddling with his food and Jack wondered if he was thinking that the baby would not be like him, the odd man out. Jack felt a pang of sorrow in that, Harrison being such a lovely boy and he sometimes forgot he was not human, now seeing those little fingers and their fur as Harrison daintily tried not to get too dirty.

"I think baby will have Harrison's lovely singing voice" Jack finally said, "It loves listening to its big brother sing. The other night Taddy said it was dancing."

Harrison perked up and grinned happily at the thought of contributing after all and Jack made a mental note to make sure he was included more, poor wee fluff.

"Actually, Harry. Do you have some time this afternoon to give me a hand?" Jack asked, "If we all clean out my office for a nursery for baby maybe you can do some inventory checking of the Family/Children Bay to see what baby things there are? You know a lot more about Gorgans than I do after all. It would be a great help to me if you could find some pieces and their pod numbers for Uncle Johnny to fetch out."

David perked up, "I can help too! I know Dad's methods."

"And I can help Dad in the mover!" Micha gleefully clasped her hands together as Alcee nodded to her father with silent agreement.

Good move.

Jack hoped they would all feel more attached to the baby if they helped make its new world. After all, they were going to be its first stars in the universe right? They had to know to shine.


	51. Chapter 51

51

Jack arrived home to chaos.

Ianto was sitting in his chair with a look of fury as the children raced about yelling and yahooing. Jack saw warning signs so he clapped his hands. The children stopped.

"Yes. For you, they stop" Ianto sighed, "They have been ignoring me for the last two hours!"

"Oh! Really! You lot have been ignoring your poor Tad? What are you teaching the baby!" Jack demanded and they children all looked at Ianto with horror as they hadn't even considered that.

"We were playing Ghost" David explained, "One of the kids at school thought it up. They pick a kid and pretend they are a ghost all day."

Ianto and Jack stared at one another, then Ianto asked softly, "These kids, the ones that become ghosts. Are they Catkind?"

"Yeah, but Dragone get picked too" came a hesitant reply as they considered it.

"And the one picking who is a ghost for the day… are they human?"

"Yes"

"Shit. They're doing it again" Jack sat and motioned the children closer, "Have any of you been a ghost? Harrison?"

Harrison hesitated and looked down at his feet, "I was chosen but then one of them said I was the Captain's kat now so they chose someone else."

"Sweetheart, we are not mad at you we just want to know what happened. Tell me, the boy who was choosing who was a ghost for the day. Is it Lester Grint?" Ianto asked, naming the son of one of the engineers who he suspected of being a Humans for Humanity Member that had managed to talk his way around the round ups.

The kids all looked at him like he was a magician or something and Jack sighed, "You did warn me about him."

"Well, to be fair I was uncertain and he passed all the tests even if he failed the lie detector. He had the excuse of a bad heart which I found strange. I questioned why he was allowed on board as it was not in his medical records or Owen would have denied him. A hereditary condition is no good" Ianto nodded, "Unfortunately he has a bit of a following and we had bigger Kollisi to fry."

"Well I think we need to consider a sweep of people again, we still have sympathisers on board" Jack frowned.

"Yes but they are a registered religion as well so we cannot be seen to be singling them out, this was out problem before Cariad. Not all are dissidents. If they swear allegiance to the Torchwood symbol then we cannot be seen to be picking on them for their beliefs" Ianto reminded and Jack huffed.

"That was on Sol3. We are not Sol3, we are Torchwood"

"Which is why we have to be better than what we once were my love" Ianto's' voice was gentle as he scolded "We cannot teach our children to be bigots because we are faced with some. Eh?"

Jack stared at him for a while, then sighed. Of course he was right, they had to practice what they preach and they cannot expect their children to be tolerant if they went in with batons.

"But there is no reason why Tosh and Andy cannot create a little programme to randomly select and assess crew members sometimes to make sure they are doing their assigned jobs and things" Ianto said and Jack looked at him closely, then snorted as he saw the crafty eyes glinting, "We can just….choose one and have Mainframe watch their every move for…like….a while. Then we can announce we did it and give out awards for those who showed Torchwood Spark?"

"Oooooooooo" Jack's eyes widened, "You are sooo naughty."

"Yes." Ianto agreed sagely, "but anyone not happy will be looked at funny as this is a positive team building exercise. Like the cadets, maybe they get a special pin showing that they are …like… top crew members for a month or something?"

"And those who get quietly pinged for subversive behaviour will be frowned upon for not towing the line" Jack grinned, "We set it up, do it for a few months and then announce it. If we announce first they will go underground again, we announce after we know who we need to watch and then…ahhhh…. Positive reinforcement. Great idea."

"I thought so" Ianto looked down at his bump and hummed as he rubbed it gently, "By the time this one is here we will have it all in place. Maybe the wetting of the baby's head can be the first awards as well. The party for the bub will bring everyone and they will all be there including those who will panic and change their routines. All it will do is make them more obvious."

"Clever mate"

"Don't' start that again!" Ianto growled, his eyes dancing with affection as Jack shuffled closer.

"Bossy mate."

"Jack!"

"Ooooo, a gnashy mate."

"Oh Cariad, you are a fool" Ianto crooned as he gave in and smiled.

"Ahhhhhh. Loving Mate, my favourite kind." Jack smiled as he leaned in and kissed him.

Mental mate, Ianto thought to himself and leaned into the kiss.

Jack hugged his forgiving mate.


	52. Chapter 52

52

After the speeches and bah blahs Ianto and Jack find themselves on a guided tour of the place by the most eccentric tour guides. Now makes it all up as he goes along and Spock corrects him with that patented eye roll Gorgan do, Jack is mesmerised as he looks at the older versions of him and Ianto.

"We are taking a spin out to the Regious Sector" Kirk says over lunch, "what do you say? Wanna come? Like old times, I'll even let you sit on me knee."

Ianto let his eyebrow answer as Jack sighs, "He doesn't sit on mine in the chair!"

"Give him time" Kirk winks.

"Come on Ianto, the kids can stay with Rhiannon. Maybe an overnighter would be nice, a little romantic jaunt around the third moon? Come on!" Jack wheedles and Ianto rolls his eyes.

Ianto heads back to tell the children and ask Rhiannon who is excited at the chance to pamper them all. After packing an overnight bag Ianto is once again standing beside his captain as his godfather jiggles on the balls of his feet.

Finally Ianto sees it.

Why he is so attracted to this infuriating man insisting on carrying the bag like it might induce premature labour in Ianto's grip or something. Jack and Kirk are the same.

Spock is watching as Ianto looks between the men and smiles softly in silent agreement. The mindmeld with the baby had been crude but eventful and Spock was now beyond elated to know another Gorgan would soon serve and protect.

Ianto is beyond excited as he steps from the Away Vessel to the cargo bay of the USS Enterprise and blames hormones on the sudden lump in his throat as he looks around at his childhood playground.

"Cariad, I know the way" Ianto says softly, taking Jack's free hand and leading him to his childhood quarters, still there pristine and accommodating. "I never thought I would see the day, a man in my little bed"

Jack laughs as he unpacks their clothing and sleep things. He finds it sweet that Ianto wants to be clothed in case someone enters then he wonders is Kirk might just to startle them. Jack grins as he finds that amusing. They are so alike.

The flight is fun, Ianto showing his knowledge of the vessel, the crew and his joy in seeing Uhura cuddling him without any fear of his glare also tells Jack this was a happy place for his love.

No wonder he heard the call… wears this uniform.

He was born to this way of life.

Jack now wonders how he will ever settle to planetary life when they finally reach their desired planet. But, maybe there will always be need for the Torchwood, if only for global monitoring right?

Maybe Jack can be the wife then, Ianto going off to work while he stays home with the kids. Grandkids. Maybe even great grandchildren waving G'Tad off in the Away Vessel.

Ianto looks over and wonders what he is thinking, leans in and kisses him in a very unGorgan way that has Jack gushing for a change.

After the evening meal they lay in the bed and hold one another tightly, their heartbeats listened to by the little one between them as they whispered softly to one another of the morning planetary fun.

"I want to ride that Transporter in the lower Cargo Bay" Jack gushes as he squeezes Ianto gently, "Think I will catch some air, really test the stabilizers."

"A farming planet, I want to see if I can get some seeds." Ianto nuzzles against Jack and then whispers, "I feel the need for you inside me tonight my love."

You don't have to ask twice, not for that.

.

.

.

.

Sorry for late posting...we are preparig for Cyclone Gita which is supposed to be worse than the last one.


	53. Chapter 53

53

Ianto wakes first, the general alarm sounding through the USS Enterprise and he grunts as he shoves Jack off him, both men landing on the floor where they swap nightmare looks, momentarily unsure of their own parts to play. This is not even their ship for fucksake.

They stumble into nav-bay.

Ianto tries to contact the bridge only to find coms are disabled. He glances at Jack who tries to rouse Torchwood but she isn't responding either.

"EMP?" Ianto asks and Jack shrugs, trying again as the vessel seems to be in freefall jusging from the numbers Ianto can see on the old outer hull mechanics. They don't make them like they used to ya know. This bird is a classic.

"1550 millibars, dropping 20 MB per minute, shit, we're haemorrhaging air. Somethin' took a swipe at us." Scotty's voice is higher pitched than usual and Ianto is reminded of Andy. He realises he would rather have him screaming at him over a squawk box.

"Tell me we're still in the open lane. Just show me all those stars, all those bright, beautiful, deep-space..." Jack activates an exterior view as Ianto continues to bring internals online faster than Scotty can.

A planet rushes up at them.

"That's why we have gravity down here." Jack says calmly.

"Moon Goddess" Ianto whispers with horror.

The USS Enterprise ploughs through the upper atmosphere, antennae pylons already disintegrating.

Heart battering his ribs, Ianto runs forward, using hand-holds to steady himself.

Ianto and Jack enter the secondary flight deck and Ianto harnesses in, starts running switches - but fumbles a few times, making mental calculations to adjust for another's programming as he overrides the internal buffers that closed everything down when the EMP hit. Finally he gets crash-shutters open to reveal... mountains and trees sweeping up past the windscreen like floor-lights on a dropping elevator.

"We're shedding big altitude." Ianto yells as he tried to restart the thrusters, coms flickering and coming online as Sulu and Chekov scream instructions to one another that Ianto ignores. He knows this old girl too, he knows how to stroke her… "Firing up!"

"... crisis program selected Number Two of this system because it shows at least some oxygen and more than 1,500 - would you SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Jack roars as he hammers a button, silencing the alarms as Kirk's face flickers into a box in the corner of their flight screen to show he is clinging to his chair with an intense stare as Jack and Ianto flies his ship with him "- more than 1,500-millibars of pressure at surface-level. Okay, so maybe the ship's mother did something right for a change..."

Ianto runs more switches as up on the main flight deck Spock does the same, they move in unison like a parody of one another. Dancers.

Explosive bolts fly away in rapid-fire around the ship's skin, blowing away non-essentials that hinder aerodynamics … including big deep-space drives. But this last separation puts the ship into a dangerous roll.

Out the windscreen, cloud strata roll around them. Jack throws actuators "Tiger, strap in, get baby stable!"

Ianto slips onto the chair next to Jack's and tightens the harness around his shoulders, leaving the lap belt undone to protect the baby against the impact. He snarls without realising he is even doing it, the terrain is coming up fast.

And airbrakes deploy. Ianto and Spock woke her at the last moment and lights start to flash. She manages to kill the roll. But the ship's still coming in nose-high.

"...showing no major water bodies...maximum terrain, 220 meters over mean surface... largely cinder and gypsum with some evaporate deposits..." Chekov is calling back the stats on the planet as Kirk ignores him, watching Spock strap in and nod that he is Ok.

"What're you doing?" Kirk asks as the vessel shift dangerously.

Jack flips up a new security-latch. "Can't get my nose down...too much load up there..."

"You mean that "load" of passengers?" Ianto understands and checks the screen, "Is everyone on the saucer? I think we might have to disengage if the pulling continues with the thrusters fighting like this.. We can't fly both."

"So what, we could both go down too?"

Tortured silence.

"I can't disengage" Scotty yells over the coms, "something has….has….it looks like sabotage. I am not sure but the couplings will not respond from this side."

Seething anger and fear, Jack pops more airbrakes, shedding more speed, more heat. The ship does level - but it's still being pounded hellishly. He tries to get a stable view out... the windscreen. They're breaking through the tree canopy now. There's just a glimpse of landscape before...

An airbrake fails. It shears off and pinwheels into... The windscreen. It cracks into a thousand spider webs – but impossibly it holds. For now.

"What the shit was that?" Scotty screams.

"Hell Scotty" Jack tells as he starts boot at the console, "Prepare for emergency disengaging procedures."

"Ah fuck" Scotty sighs, the small explosives for such a purpose will make a mess of the couplings and he can only warn those in engineering with him to brace for immediate and insintanious impacts.

.

..

.

Gita is about three hours away...maybe. If you don't hear from me tomorrow, don't worry. Last time power went out with trees on powerlines, it will only be that again OK? I have faith everything will be OK. We just need to hang on. xxxx


	54. Chapter 54

54

Sunlight flares from every fractured edge: It's like looking into burning diamonds, and Jack can only get an impression of the outside world. Now he has to rely on...A ground-mapping display.

120 meters altitude. And dropping.

Ground-mapper: 60 meters.

"Cariad, I love you."

COLLISION ALARMS kick in.

Out the fractured windscreen, Ianto can see a huge dark mass rise up into view.

"Land Captains"

A robotic woman's voice starts counting down the altitude out loud.

40 meters...

30...

20...

10...

"IANTO!"

Ianto braces.

IMPACT.

The WINDSCREENS IMPLODE.

AIR HURRICANES IN.

The shadow of the Disc flies overhead and Ianto looks up, praying their impact slowed the velocity of the disc's own impending crash.

Chairs rip from their moorings. Strapped into one, Jack slams into the ceiling.

The hull is cracking open.

A huge section of the cabin tears free... skitters and CRASHES along the planet floor behind them...and disintegrates out of sight.

Hammered by wind, Ianto opens his eyes experimentally. A vortex of motion, of speed, of blurring debris. But the ship is burrowing in. Burrowing under.

Ianto pivots his chair 180 degrees a nanosecond before... Dirt avalanches into the cockpit.

BLACKOUT

.

.

.

Choking yellow dust. Ghostly silhouettes are coughing, moaning and calling out to other survivors in English and, surreally, in Gorgan.

Ears running blood. Spock is stumbling his way toward the belly of the vessel that is some distance away and no longer visable beyond their horizon, Others finding their bearings and then following as they now pray for the men who risked…hopefully not sacrificed …. For the families who have survived the Disc's less nasty impact into the dirt floor.

"Somethin' went wrong, huh?" a red shirt mutters as he looks around with confusion, then rubs his face.

"Spock, come back!" Kirk calls softly, "Come on, we need weapons. In case."

Spock swings to look back at his mate, their eyes meeting and he nods.

.

.

.

.

Darkness.

A light beam sweeps the dusty air of the cockpit.

It's packed with dirt, no signs of life. About to search elsewhere, Ianto turns back at a glint in the corner of his eye. "Jack?"

"Over here." His light finds a headrest sticking up from the dirt. Ianto crawls closer, checks the other side of the headrest and finds him.

Buried to the gills.

"Well now, you seem buried in your work again Captain"

Jack groans softly, then smiles, "Hey."

He manages a smile and starts digging him out.

Almost dreading to ask Jack whispers "Are there any others, Babe? Did the Saucer impact intact?"

Ianto helps Jack through the carnage. He's stunned by it all - but especially by the blast of sunlight where a hull used to be.

The survivors straggle outside.

"Any sign of the disc?" someone calls.

"At least half a day's walk that way" someone else replies and there is soft laughter ad someone else asks for somebody to define a day on this rock.

Ianto is crawling through dusty superstructure to reach the water cistern. he opens a crank-hatch - and finds light invading the interior. His face falls.

"Jack? We need water."

Oversize doors rumble open. Ianto, Jack, and Scotty climb into this dark corridor lined with cargo containers. Each container has an access door.

"Well?" Scotty demands, "Anyone have the access codes to these?"

Jack removes his antique Webley and fires at a lock that disengages. He shrugs and moves to the next one. Ianto turns and look at the Scotsman. shrugs.

Another shot rings out.

Scotty finds himself grinning.

.

.

.

.

Gathered, the survivors take inventory: Jack has a pistol, shotgun, baton. Ianto and Scotty have water bottles and some food parcels. The First Aid Kits are open as those who are injured are seen to.

Ianto is satisfied that this small team that stayed with the belly of the ship are all OK. He still can't believe anyone died.

Yet.

"So, another four or five hours befoe they reach us on foot….makes sense we start towards them and meet in the middle right?" Scotty asks, "Any tramsporters survive? Be nice to travel by wheels."

As some crew clamber back into the belly to search the back of the cago bay Ianto sits and takes a cleansing breath.

"Are you OK" Jack softly whispers with concern as he places a hand on Ianto's shoulder.

"I believe I am slightly shaken, if not stirred sir" Ianto replies as he smiles to show he is just overwhemned. "Thank the stars we left the children with Rhiannon."

"Not all of them" Jack replies, his hand going to Ianto's bump "let's take a moment or two yeah?"

Ianto nods and allows a moment.

Or three.

.

.

.

.

.

I'm still here, windswept and tired. Some water damage but nothing I can't handle. Went to bed at about 2am ... still raining and some wind but nothing like it was. Thanks to all your lovely good wishes, we have weathered the storm and today will be the tail end which may have a bit of a sting in the tail but we are all fine, safe and still kicking xxxx


	55. Chapter 55

55

Scotty is cranking the Transporter Hovercraft ...hands snatching up lights, water, ropes...weapons piling aboard the Hover.

Hover moving...Jack jumping onto the rear bed... stragglers running, catching up.

"We stay together! C'mon!" Scotty calls back and soon all twelve are hanging on as Ianto leans against Jack for comfort.

"Don't wanna miss this." Anna, a redcoat yells over the engine, "Lookit. Lookit!"

They turn back to see the rim of a giant planet. It's cresting over the horizon. The luminous arch is the planet's rings.

"So much for a day…we are about to have an eclipse?" Scotty grumbles, "I hate this place."

The Hover storms through the canyon. As it passes through the low arch is smashes some low-bridge outcrops.

The Hover reaches the away party two hours later and everyone leaps off. Kirk is holding Ianto with obvious relief as Jack steals a look at...The rising planet. It threatens to blot out suns, sky, universe.

Scotty wheels the Hover around, getting clearance between it and the entrance to a cave. They listen to the crackling coms as they learn Torchwood is closing in. Kirk orders the saucer to close down and seal itself as something in the growing shadows starts to move.

They clamber up to the top of the sand dune to watch the sun disappear. As the rings of the planet eclipse the yellow sun they move towards the cave system to find some safety from … whatever has the few Gorgan amongst them panting with wide eyes. They see something the others clearly can't… Ianto, Spock and a young woman from engineering that mutely holds the back of Spock's tunic like a child.

They show something Gorgan do not normally show.

Fear.

It's like the Gods just closed a blind: Daylight dims. The change in light brings a growing sound of scuttling.

DUSK

As the rings eclipse the red sun.

They run. Reach the cave. Turn back to see... Anna, Jack and Kirk still coming. Hearing the rustling sound descending on them... Jack and Kirk hit to the dirt. Clickers flow just inches overhead.

Kirk tries not to cry out as he throws his arms up …

Horrified.

Hard to breathe.

Like being underwater.

Jack watches in awe, no more frightened than a kid lying on his back looking up at the stars. Experimenting, he eases a piece of wood into the wave of liquid above them. Instantly it's whittled down to nothing.

It's like a river of razor blades.

The hatchlings keep coming.

Anna whips a panicky look at the cave, closer than the two men. Can she make it? Should she even try?

"Tell her to stay there. Stay down." Scotty cries as he catches her intent "JUST STAY DOWN!"

Scotty starts worming toward the cave. Suddenly the things vanish. A beat. Is it safe?

Anna gets to her feet...

"No, no, NO, NO, NO..." Scotty screams.

...and the wave is back, enveloping Anna.

Still on the ground, Jack checks left and right like someone about to cross a busy street. Now he gets up, smacks his hands clean, grabs Kirk by the tunic to yank him to his feet then he strolls for the cave.

"What is it? What's happening?" someone asks fearfully.

The rim of the planet overtakes the sun. The world goes dark.

"Well, obviously we stayed out past our bedtime Laddie!" Scotty snarks, annoyed as he glares at the ensign.

The survivors are now situated in the bowels of the cave the only secure part of the terrain.

Somehow they've been reduced to Neanderthals huddling in their cave, listening to the howls of the sabertooths.

Jack reaches out in the semidarkness, only their torches on the ground offering any comfort. He pulls Ianto into his arms and runs his hands over him, making sure he is OK and Ianto seems to melt into him as Scotty kneels in the dirt re-contacting the Torchwood. She is steaming now, flying to them like a bullet and they know it must be dawn sometime.

Right?

Whatever those things are, in the light they will be able to fight them. If they are still there. The fact they only attacked at night makes Spock and Ianto agree that they don't like light.

Meanwhile conversations with the Saucer tells them it was not damaged as badly as first thought and the space belly that the fleet always has for such emergencies (They call them 'Kirks' these days) means a month of furlough for the crew while Kirk snarks at the powers-that-be reminding then he is the one they need to protect them, like he always had. So he killed another bit of ship. So what? He is owed a lot more than that.

It has been nice to see them again, Ianto certainly feels energised but, but the Gods he wants his own boat, his own bed.

His children in his arms.

At least he knows he still has the ability to run with this belly, something that has him sniggering in the darkness. He whispers it to Jack and everyone smiles softly as Jack tells him he would have carried him.

Always.


	56. Chapter 56

56

Dawn seems to take so long and Ianto is dozing against Jack when he hears a scuttling noise that has his eyes opening to blearily look around.

Dark.

Oh yeah.

Ianto fumbles for the torch in his lap clicking it on and angling it down only to have him emit on un-Gorgan-like shriek that has the entire place waking up. Ianto's feet have left the ground as he seems to clamber up his mate like he is a climbing frame and Jack struggles to hold him and look down at the same time. Spock is doing much the same thing, only with a low growl as he heaves Kirk onto the shallow shelf he is now sitting on, then motions to Jack for Ianto.

Worms.

Black, slithering and secreting a thick slime as they slither about on the floor….the equipment…people … PEOPLE!

Jack heaves Ianto at those who catch him and starts slapping at Scotty who is still waking up, unaware that these things are on his legs. Then a shrill noise had them turning to see one of the engineering crew on the ground. Poor bastard must have curled up in the corner instead of remaining sitting up like everyone else and he is almost iridescent was the slime starting to cover him.

"Cariad!" Ianto whimpers, "Get up here!"

Jack refused, still trying to save the man but then looks at his hand that are starting to tingle and he clambers to the ledge and starts scraping them on the rock face.

"Urinate on them!" Spock demands, "Wash it off any way you can."

"I am not flipping out my dong!" Jack splutters then starts to shake his hands, "I can't feel my fingers."

"Fucksake!" Ianto roars as he kneels and fumbles under his bump. "I'll pee on you, gladly. My bladder is ready to burst!"

Jack is too shocked to pull away as Ianto let loose a stream of hot urine on his hands and then groans as his head falls back, "Gods, little monkey is jumping on my bladder like it's a trampoline."

Spock smiled, "I would like to commune but feel it inappropriate whilst you are otherwise engaged."

Soft laughter began as Ianto blushed and finished, tucking himself away as Jack now held his hands out with horror, changing to interest as he wriggled his fingers "I can sort of feel them now. How did you know?"

"I didn't. One of Jim's standard defaults is to either kill it, love it or pee on it." Spock said blandly.

"Not true!" Kirk defended, "I only love you these days."

"I stand corrected, yes. It appears you do Captain, you've not frolicked with anyone else for a very long time" Spock agreed.

"Frolicked" Kirk sniggered "I like that one, cheeky Gorgan."

"They are, aren't they" Jack smiled, then accepted a water bottle with gratitude. "How much do we have left?"

"We have eight more bottles and the light is starting to dawn" Spock answered, "Within the hour I think we can venture out."

Jack nodded, using the water to wash his hands and then he rook a swig, offering it to Ianto who shook his head.

"Yan, when did you last have anything?" Jack asked softy.

"I had half a bottle with you last night" Ianto whispered in reply, "I can't move on a full bladder, not with little Sir Bounce-a-lot."

Jack sniggered, nodding and then blinking slowly as he repeated "Sir."

"Yes" Ianto's voice was so soft in the semi darkness as others held their breath to listen as well, "It is a son I shall give you my love. A little boy with your floppy hair and my nose. Your excitement and I fear my tongue."

"Ah. He will be perfect then" Jack shone, "Wonderfully us."

Ianto smiled and accepted a kiss, not caring if others were watching. Then Spock spoke, "Light. Jim, I see light."

"Stay here, I'll go….shit"

Ianto snorted as Jack turned to see the man had slid in the slime and was sitting in it so Jack called out with laughter "Look out Jimbo, you don't want a numb arse."

Now laughter as Kirk rose and poked his tongue at the man, then grinned as he wriggled it and then went to the door and peered out, "Yep. No sign of them, maybe I should toss an ensign out to see,"

"Stop it!" Ianto scolded as he let Jack help him to his feet, "You are so terrible without your morning coffee."

"Don't even mention it, I can smell it!" Kirk wailed, then they pushed aside the boxes of equipment they had sealed the doorway with and ventured out into a softly lit morn.

"Which way?" Jack asked as he checked the Transporter over and found it OK, "We can move as soon as everyone is ready."

"If you care to follow me then" Spock said with that eerie calm, "I shall pee behind that rock on your hands Jack, or Jim, would you rather I pee on your arse?"

Everyone froze.

Then Ianto let out a loud bark of laughter, Spock allowing a rare grin back at his lovely Godson.

Gorgan are so unassumingly funny sometimes.


	57. Chapter 57

57

They watched the Away Vessels for the Torchwood descend through the clouds and Ianto let out a sigh of relief, also annoyed that he was going in the first group but knowing Jack would not focus if he was still there in the thick of things. They had no idea of those things would remain hidden or make another pass, time was of the essence.

"You know what they reminded me of?" Spock spoke softly to Kirk as they watched Ianto smoulder in the first group.

"Hmmmm?"

"Those Ceti eels, remember? Khan's earwigs?" Spock said and Kirk turned to face him with his eyes widening.

"Do you think there are similarities?" Kirk asked and Jack turned to watch the two men as they seemed to mirror one another. He wondered if he and Ianto looked like that to others. He sort of hoped so.

"Part of me thinks we should take some for further analysis, another part of me however, thinks anything on this planet is best left here" Spock nodded.

"Agreed, I don't think anything on this rock can help further mankind" Kirk sighed, looking up and squinting into the sun as the larger of the two vessels touched down, then powered down as Andy waved from the cockpit and gestured that he was disembarking.

"Oh joy" Ianto sighed, knowing why.

Andy erupted once the doors were open, racing down the ramp to seize Ianto in a hug, then pull back to check he was OK, his hands sliding over him as Jack growled softly and began to advance.

"Andy, he will kill you if he sees you as a threat" Ianto whispered and Andy stepped back with his hands up in surrender, a grin to show he was not afraid.

"I tell ya, when coms went I shat a small Bekidor" Andy gushed, "You can't do that to me, I'm not senior enough to takeover if you two go splat."

"Yes dear, sorry dear" Ianto said drolly.

"Come on, Ianto is taking the first…ah, Owen" Jack said as he watched the doctor push his way towards them with a look of thunder, "No shouting please. Ianto is tired."

It did the trick, Owen immediately refocusing on him and Ianto smiled weakly as Owen started to scan him. Kirk motioned and Owen caught it, leaving his two friends to go over to the senior man, "What!"

"Gods, so much like Bones" Kirk snorted, "Look, there were bug things in the cave we sheltered in, icky. We lost a man as the slime was like some sort of localized anaesthetic. I wonder…are you familiar with Ceti eels? These reminded us of them, can you do a thorough internal scan of each person before clearing them for release? I might be a silly old man but the thought of contamination is not a nice one."

Owen nodded a she scanned them both, then said he found no foreign DNA. A relief to say the least then he scanned Ianto and Jack, then began the others in the first team to leave the saucer, mostly children.

As he cleared each one they entered the large ships and buckled in, Ianto fussing over each child who watched his hands move with infinite care.

"What about the saucer, it will be retrieved?" Jack asked Kirk.

"We will try to see if she flies once everyone is out of the way. She might be able to take off with extra power from a few cell units from your vessel and a tractor beam for extra throttle up." Kirk shrugged, "If so I can limp it back to the nearest port then have it repaired and ready for the new body to arrive. Besides, if this was sabotage like we think, I want it thoroughly gone over for any signs, the internal computer might have some proof of who."

"Hope it's not one of ours" Ianto cut in, "We haven't weeded them all out yet."

"Don't worry boy, whoever it is, we will find out and believe you me, they will pay" Kirk assured Ianto who was now on coms as he watched out the windows.

"I will be along love" Jack crooned.

"No you won't, you will be on the saucer with them" Ianto snorted, "I do not mind. I will captain the Torchwood and we will get this saucer back into flight under the control of Torchwood. Together we will limp her back. These families have their lives onboard, we can't leave it here."

"Agreed Love" Jack looked up at him though the window and was not surprised to see him buckling into the pilot's seat. "Let me know when you are ready to go, it will be at least ten jumps to clear those nonessentials down here"

"Yes" Ianto agreed, "I shall let you know when I am ready to install the tractor beam."

Ianto flew back to the only place he wanted to be, home to the Torchwood where he went straight to check his babies, finding them all eager for a cuddle and touch of bump. He explained what had happened and little eyes widened as he hastened to assure them it was all OK and Daddy was going to help them get the other vessel back to port.

"Can I watch?" Harrison asked, the others starting as well, but Ianto waved his hands to silence them.

"I have to concentrate and I am very tired and hungry. You know when I am tired and hungry I get Hangry. I will scold and growl a lot" Ianto soothed, "Once we are all safe you can see the damage and maybe Uncle Spock and uncle Jim will take you over to see what the damage looks like from the inner shell. Yeah?"

He then went to the bridge and eased himself gratefully into the Captain's chair as the bridge bustled about with their preparations.

Gods, he was hungry.

Rhys arriving with a plate was so lovely that he almost cried.

Almost.

He is Gorgan after all…. Mostly.


	58. Chapter 58

58

Ianto and Spock worked in almost silence, a few Gorgan clicks and soon the saucer was flying, albeit with a tether to the Torchwood who was acting like a spare thruster.

Kirk leaned over to Jack, "Wonderful aren't they? I mean, when they don't want you want to scream with their calm glare."

"Yeah" Jack grinned back "How long have you to been together?"

"Forever" Spock answered, "Or maybe it just seems that way."

"Forever seems like a nice time to be together" Jack said softly as he watched Ianto settle into a chair. Finally.

"We are nearing the outer limit of the port, we need to decrease by half a click" Ianto's voice warned and the two Captains watched as the Gorgan hands moved as one, almost like they were on the same wavelength.

"Wonderful" Kirk said as he watched the port come on the viewer, "I think we can have a few days of rest while the crew goes over things and maybe we can have some time together as well? Be nice to see Harry."

"Sounds great, you can meet my two as well" Jack grinned happily at the screen, Kirk's face an older mirror image so it seemed, both men eager to connect.

Ianto was pleased to see this, knowing the Brig was prone to forming an opinion and keeping to it. Of course he had known Jack professionally for some time and was obviously the puppet master in getting the two younger men together. He did like to match-make and Ianto knew he would quietly crow for some time, especially as his eyes slid to Ianto's belly.

They docked the saucer, then themselves and Ianto knew Andy and Tosh were itching to get into the Enterprise's system for a look. Maybe they could give the old girl an upgrade, if she doesn't shock them for getting too cheeky.

Jack also knew Ianto was tired, dog tired and really needed some quiet days without work so he hoped they might be able to schedule some family time as well, especially with wee Lenno as Ianto perked up whenever he was around him.

They were finally able to power down and Jack turned to Ianto, "Go check the kids. Go home love. I will be along. Maybe Rhys can send us a nice meal for some family time alone?"

"Gods, that sounds divine" Ianto sighed softly, smiling as he handed off to a waiting tech and left the Bridge, the weight easing around his shoulders and throat as he started for his home, his babies.

Harrison was at the door, the tenuous bond alerting him to his parental's return and he was in Ianto's arms, curling around the belly as he mewled with relief that he was home. Ianto lifted him, a slight Kat, entering the main room and heading for the nest that had grown in his absence.

"My loves, my babies. Come give me love" he said as he toed off his shoes, Alice already pulling back the bedding as Rhiannon helped with his tunic. Johnny was sitting in the couch watching with silent relief as Ianto appeared uninjured and as he slid into the nest he rose.

"I'll go see to the food, Rhys is making up some plates for all of us" Johhny offered, unable to think of anything else to do that might help.

"Johnny, I understand you did a great job shifting quarters about and making room in the emergency Docks for those who cannot stay on the saucer for now. Thank you" Ianto said softly and Johnny shrugged, then hesitated.

"The crew going to retrieve the damaged body …. I was wondering…."

"You want to go for a look?" Ianto canted his head, "If you promise not to go planetside, sure. That place is dangerous and I would worry something fierce if I thought you might end up down there in the danger zone."

Johnny looked surprised and pleased at that admission as he nodded vigorously, "Promise, I would stay shipside."

"Then I will have a word with the boss, I have an ear there" Ianto winked and Johnny grinned as he shot off.

"Thank you Ianto, he is dying to get into some action but that dying part scares me so" Rhiannon admitted a she settled to stroke his hair, "It will mean so much to him if he has a mission badge to show."

"I know, I have ignored him haven't I. He is a good man, a good provider and I can see he is a good worker too" Ianto smiled, "Don't worry, I will ensure he stays shipside and in the safe zone."

"Thank you brother" she whispered, "For all I know you have done for my family."

"Don't be silly sister, this is my family too" Ianto snorted as his nephew kissed the bump Micha had exposed.

Rhiannon felt the love.


	59. Chapter 59

59

Jack found his mate asleep, snoring softly in that adorable way that sounded like a kitty meowing. Children were all around him, Harrison with his little head on the bump as he rose and fell with the breath of his father.

"Hey" Jack whispered and they all turned to face him, little faces filled of love as Jack leaned in to kiss all five of them, then Rhiannon.

"Aye, aye that's me missus" Johnny said good naturedly as he pushed the trolly in and Ianto's nose twitched. Jack watched Ianto's eyelashes flutter a few times, then Ianto was struggling to sit up as he licked his lips. Apparently Rhys knew the preferred Gorgan food when preggers…of course he did. He's Gorgan right? Jack grinned as he realized he was no longer assigning races to his people, he had simply started thinking of them as family. he hoped others were doing the same.

"Easy now, wanna eat in there love?" Jack asked "You look so comfy."

"In the bed?" Ianto looked scandalised at the mere suggestion, even as he reached for the plate with 'give me' hand motions and Jack felt a surge of love as he watch those sharp teeth flash in a smile.

"You are so beautiful, look at you" Jack crooned as he knelt and offered the plate, "So handsome. Pretty. Mine."

"If you start that mate thing again I might have to shoot you" Ianto informed him with wide eyes, "Honestly sir, I might."

Jack snorted and leaned in for a kiss only to find a fork in the way as Ianto started to shovel food from the plate with gusto. He leaned back and accepted his own plate from Johnny which he ate from as he watched the kids all settle as well. Finally the entire family ate, hums and nods of approval for Rhys' cooking. Gods, that man knew food.

Finally Ianto flopped back, resisting the urge to lick the plate. Johnny took it and then wafted a chocolate mousse above him, making Ianto's eyes fly open again to watch the motion like a bloody tracking drone.

"Your sweet tooth will be the death of me youngling" he muttered as he reached for it, "Urgh … so much, a big bowl…argggghhhhhh….mmmm…..so fattening…mmmmmm.. like your Daddy you are…mmmmm"

Jack was transfixed as Ianto made decadent noises while openly licking the spoon like the children. It was so sweet and….ah….arousing that he had to hug a pillow in his lap. He of course offered his dessert to him as well, finding more appreciation in Ianto's delight.

Johnny watched and grinned as Jack openly adored Ianto.

"So" Jack finally said, "You full love?"

"Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm" Ianto flipped and lay as if dead, his smile covered with chocolate that Jack leaned over and kissed off, tasted good too.

"Anything else you need my Scrumpykins Tiger Pants?"

Ianto smiled softly as he looked up at him, eyelashes fluttering, "You? Cuddles?"

Jack toed off his boots as his tunic fell and he slid in, the children exiting to now bounce off some if the sugar they had imbibed.

"OK love?" Jack whispered.

"If you don't mind, I might spend tomorrow here at home, a little quiet after all that. Little bump is doing back flips and I think the adrenaline was not needed, he is clearly going to have your energy levels as it is" Ianto shared as he rubbed the belly, "He did like that chocolate."

"You know, you look so sweet I want a picture" Rhiannon said as she angled the camera on her tablet and took a photo of the two men, their hands covering the bump as they communed with the bub.

She couldn't wait for these two to have this little beast, the love so strong that she knew the entire vessel would enjoy the new arrival.

She wondered if she was getting too old for another, glancing at Johnny as she slid the last of her dessert towards him with a wink.

Maybe not.

Eh?


	60. Chapter 60

60

"Owen?" Ianto looked up from the book he was reading as the doctor slammed into his Berth and slumped into a chair.

"I fucked up" Owen said sullenly, "I was so busy that it didn't even occur to me."

"What has happened little Citizen" Ianto said softly as he closed the book and placed it aside.

"Remember how we scanned everyone before clearing them for lift-off back up onto the Torchwood?" Owen asked and Ianto nodded.

"What about those who didn't come up? Those who stated on the saucer for the flight?"

"Scotty scanned them along with Bones" Ianto assured him, "They were thorough. Even scanned one another, I watched on the Vid-com."

"You sure? Its not like me to fuck up, I never leave a job half finished like that" Owen frowned.

"You were more concerned for me, that is understandable. I am your first concern as we are family" Ianto smiled as he patted Owen's hand "I trust you and know you would not endanger us in any way."

"Yeah well … that's just it. I watched too and I don't remember that nurse getting scanned. The one with the blue skin. Did you see it on your screen?" Owen asked and Ianto leaned forward as he tried to remember then he sighed, shrugging.

"We will contact Bones" Ianto reached for the tablet then made a ship to ship call and the call was eventually answered.

"What! Do you think I have time for….ah. Ianto" Bones McCoy blinked at the screen.

"Hello Bones. I was enquiring as to the health of your young Ensign Cartix" Ianto said calmly, "Owen does not recall scanning him and wondered if you remember what moment you did?"

Bones stared at them and then turned to look off screen before turning back and grimacing, "Damn it all to the seventh hell of Mortarg. Hang on, I need to check the bloody results."

Ianto waited.

The face of the doctor when he returned to the screen told Owen all he needed to know and he -cursed softly as Bones called the Ensign over the intercom to come to the Med-bay.

"Do you want me to come over?" Owen asked.

"If he is contaminated, no. It will mean a rescreening of everyone he came in contact with on here for possible infestation" Bones snarled, "Damn it all. I should have checked these, so glad to get home. I'm getting too old for this shit. He is supposed to be my back-up, not the problem. Jim is gonna go spare."

"Tell him now" Ianto advised, "The sooner the better so he knows there is no cause for alarm. Just a routine recheck."

"What … not tell him I stuffed up?" Bones frowned.

"Not on the coms" Ianto nodded, "Once he is in the me-bay, tell him. Don't forget that loose lips sink ships. These are no different. Panic is an uncommonly ugly thing."

"Agreed" Bones nodded as he started to understand the reasoning, "Thanks."

"Let me know" Ianto said before signing off and he watched Owen pace for a while. "You are making me sick."

"Huh?"

"Too much movement, I am tired and haven't eaten" Ianto sighed, Owe immediately going into doctor mode and Ianto settled back to let him fuss. Of course he was fibbing…not a lie…he hadn't eaten in about three hours …. More of an exaggeration. Right?

As he had hoped, Owen let go of his anger and fussed about happily listening to the baby's heartbeat as he took some scans.

"Healthy wee bugger, gonna be just as petite as Lenno, maybe a smidgeon smaller" he said after a while, "The human mix is gonna make him a little more undercooked."

"So, I must endure longer?"

"If you 'endure' too long you will have major health issues that might cause both of you damage in the long run. No. We will monitor and maybe an extra few days but the moment he or you show a decline out he comes." Owen made a motion as if yanking the child out, "You know your body will do its thing. I am just saying, the timing might be different."

"We do not let go until the time is tight" Ianto agreed.

"Ianto, you there?" a voice called and Ianto lifted the tablet to address Bones who glowered, "You were right. She was."

"She?"

"The ensign" Bones said with a shrug, "But she's OK now."

Ianto stared at the screen as Owen went to speak and he cut him off, speaking smoothly in front of him, "Good. As long as you are satisfied Doctor. Thank you for that. I shall rest easy."

"Yeah. Nothing else to do" Bones nodded, "You can tick that off and close the file. No need to come across and check."

"Yes. I shall not ask again" Ianto nodded and said goodbye before signing off.

"She? The ensign was a he" Owen hissed once Ianto turned to him.

"I know that. You know that. Bones knows that. Whoever or whatever was making him call us didn't" Ianto reasoned, "He was warning us."

"Shit" Owen got it, "He was being coerced?"

"Yes. Someone else was there and he is in danger."

"Ah hells teeth" Owen sighed as Ianto made a private call to Kirk.

Owen decided he needed a bloody break. Maybe he was too old for this shit too.


	61. Chapter 61

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Kirk came back three hours later a little bloodier and decidedly more pissed.

"Three" he panted on the vid-sreen as Ianto sat in the Captain's chair with Jack leaning against it, insisting Ianto be comfortable, "The Ensign and two others he had pretended to scan. Damned thing was already controlling him before we lifted off."

"And you are sure….no more?" Ianto asked with genuine horror.

"Young Toshiko there upgraded our systems and the new AI was able to instantaneously scan the entire vessel. Sort of like an x-ray, so clever…" Spock began and Kirk rolled his eyes.

"Here we go" Bones growled, "Middle of a crisis and you want blather on about…"

"The crisis is over doctor" Spock replied sagely, the calm demeanour annoying the man even more as he openly poked his tongue at him gaining an eyebrow response.

"So how did you get them out?" Jack asked, "The buggies."

"Phasers on stun" Kirk replied, "I hate shooting my own people, even if it is just a stunner."

"Scotty wears a Red Shirt" Ianto said softly, "That man dices with death on a daily basis."

"Huh?" Kirk looked confused.

"Red. Surely you have noticed that you go through a lot of Red Shirts" Ianto canted his head, "You seem to have picked a colour that attracts danger like a bull to a cape."

Kirk stared at him for a while, "You know… I never noticed that."

"Everyone else has, even joke about it" Jack snorted, "Each time a death is registered against the Enterprise someone will say …. There goes another Red Shirt."

"How long has this been a joke?" Kirk looked scandalised as Jack laughed.

"Only forever Brig, you know …. There are worse things. Remember that Captain known for ending his sentences with the word 'there' it was so bloody annoying." Jack commiserated.

"Let's check the coordinates there. Do you have a spare Whodickey there, I am going to lay a complaint against you, you bastard there" Kirk said with a nod, "Yeah, I remember him."

"What was the complaint for?"

"I might have slept with his missus" Kirk said, then frowned as he considered, "Or was it his sister?"

"Rather, his brother if I recall" Spock contested gently, "But he was a looker."

Kirk grinned, "Not a patch on you Spocky."

"Stop it!"

"Oooo!" Jack pointed with glee as he straightened up, "Did you hear that? Ianto, he sounded just like you"

"Rather, I sound like him" Ianto corrected as he fiddled with his tunic, "Damned thing."

"Gonna pop another button, should just leave it unbuttoned" Kirk advised.

"I am sitting in the Captain's chair, I'll be damned if I will be out of uniform!" Ianto frowned.

"Haven't done that yet either huh?" Kirk asked Jack and Jack stalled out as he considered the loaded question and then grinned as he shook his head, Ianto looking at Spock with shock.

"No. Really?"

"Was most awkward, I almost hit the thrusters a couple of times" Spock inclined his head as he spoke "But he seemed so pleased with himself, kept going on about the Mile High Club or something."

"I remember that. An old earth custom" Jack was laughing now, "Really? You old dog!"

"Woof" Kirk chortled and Ianto rolled his eyes in unison to Spock.

"Well, you will not achieve that with me" Ianto said haughtily.

"Not even in an Away Vessel snuggled in the cargo bay?" Jack whined, "The little one you like?"

Ianto's eyes slid to the left and Jack grinned again as Ianto hissed, "Not with this gut."

"Ah, a future promise? If I am a good boy?" Jack wheedled, "Yeah?"

"Stop it" Ianto growled, "Embarrassing me in front of family."

"Aw, they've done it already. A few times I think." Jack sniggered.

"Oh for the love of chocolate" Ianto huffed as the two captains laughed like the naughty children they are.

"You look tired" Spock declared, "We must go. He is bleeding and Bones will love poking him with a needle whether he needs it or not."

"Awwww" Kirk slumped, "Do I have to?"

"Yes"

Long after the screen had returned to a still photo of the family Jack remained staring at it thinking, Ianto looking about the bridge as those on duty buzzed about like the happy little bees they were.

"Those two have been together forever" Jack smiled.

"Since Basic" Ianto agreed, "Hated one another on sight."

"Combustible."

"No, Scotty is the one who likes to blow shit up" Ianto rose and straightened the tunic, then sighed as a button pinged across the room to hit the console near Tosh and she squealed with shock, then stated to giggle uncontrollably as Owen scuttled about on the floor trying to get it back before it went through the grating.

"Damn it all" Ianto sighed.

Jack thought he looked beautiful and Ianto's horror filled face coloured quickly as the crew chimed in with their agreeance to their Captain's loud declaration.

"Stop it!"


	62. Chapter 62

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"Because I want to" Ianto repeated as he poked Tosh again, her giggle as he tickled her filling the bridge.

"It will take a while to recalibrate" she sighed, "I wish I had never done it now."

"But you did, and it worked. Brilliantly, so now I want the scanner here too" Ianto said as he waggled the finger menacingly and she squealed as she shied away, slapping back at him.

"You are a bully" she sniggered, beginning the equations to adjust the programme she had installed in the Enterprise for the Torchwood.

"Thank you" Ianto bowed politely, then wandered over to the Captain's chair, his hands rubbing the little bump affectionately as his eyes drank in the screen full of figures. "Jack?"

"Hmmmm?"

"Did Bones send over that list of those infected yet? He was going to let us know who they came in contact with" Ianto said as he fiddled with the buttons on the chair.

"Not yet love, you know he hates paperwork, almost as much as Owen" Jack smiled, leaning in to kiss the frowning forehead of his mate. "Gungry?"

"Gungry?"

"Yeah. Hungry and Gorgeous" Jack grinned

"Captain it is highly irregular to make up words to suit your high spirited emotions" Ianto scolded calmly, full Gorgan stance as Jack found it cute Ianto turned it around to him instead of Ianto who had been the one being described, "Pleas refrain from space madness at this early juncture in our flight."

"Wow, you are so cute" Jack gushed as Ianto glowered at him some more.

"Yes. I am hungry" Ianto finally said as he allowed a brief smile and Jack slapped the arms of the chair.

"Right, I'm out!" he said as he rose, "Andy, yours."

"Yee haw" Andy drawled, "I can ride her like a stole her"

"See?" Ianto said accusingly to Jack, "It's contagious."

Jack sniggered to himself as they left the bridge and Andy settled in the chair to politely ask for a recalibration of officers. The fun and silliness gone as he accepted chain of command and became proficient as always.

Rhys was glad to see them, a new recipe to be tried that he thought might be easier on Ianto's stomach, something he remembered from his Granny. He watched Ianto take a tentative bite then roll his eyes with delight.

Rhys relaxed as he scooped more chocolate pudding into the bowl with that hint of peppermint that seemed to change the entire experience for Ianto.

Jack whimpered his thanks as he finally watched Ianto eat a full meal, the first in days that he seemed to enjoy and eat all of. Rhys then had a bowl as well, Jack joining him as Ianto sat sipping a tall spearmint glass of milk.

"So … dairy agrees with you" Jack said after a while and Ianto shrugged.

"It agrees with bump" he freed, "Seems our mixed DNA calls for something with a bit of pep."

"Well, I like a bit of pep, I like you after all" Jack said sappily and Ianto looked down at his glass with a soft smile of delight. As the pregnancy progressed Jack became more affectionate and it was nice.

Owen entered and walked over to flop in a chair, "Who asked Toshi to do that thingy?"

Jack looked at him blankly.

"Me. Did she?" Ianto asked as he pushed the almost empty glass away admitting he was full. Owen took it for an experimental taste.

"Yeah, she's doing it now. Syncing it or whatever" he said as he removed the straw and drank the remaining dink with gusto.

"Want me to make you one?" Rhys offered.

"Nah"

Ianto drummed his fingers on the tale as he wished he had a tablet with him and Jack knew what the problem was, "How about we go to the bridge to see?"

Ianto lit up and they headed back to Andy swinging in the chair as he called out to the Ensign called Glug for fresh numbers. Tosh sat to one side with her fingers dancing across the board, her face one of concentration.

Ianto walked over to look over her shoulder and made a noise, stepping back with alarm. "Jack, we have signs in the engine bay"

"What?" Jack rushed to look as Tosh confirmed and the Torchwood started to seal the section and those within it.

"Anywhere else?" Jakc demanded, "If it's in engineering it is in the staff quarters, right?"

Tosh didn't' look up or show any sign of acknowledgement as Ianto turned to face Glug and the stunner was swiftly deployed. As the Ensign flopped on the deck Jack stomped about its head, the slimy worms escaping only to meet the fate others were in other parts of the vessel. When it all died down they looked at the Captain's chair and the Gorgan perching on it like a gargoyle, his eyes wide as he panted and made small noises. Andy sat on the floor where he had landed trying not to laugh.

"Its gone love" Jack said gently as he rushed to comfort, "Slimy things are all gone."

"How undignified" Ianto sighed as he let his mate help him own, "Ew. Just…yucky."

"I know" Jack soothed then he looked around the bridge, "Hormones. Right? This is just a hormonal thing. Ianto was not scared of worms."

"No sir" everyone chimed as Ianto made a wide circle of the body making hissing noises, the disgust evident.

No one would ever admit to seeing a full grown Gorgan retreating from anything.

"Errggggggg"


	63. Chapter 63

63

"Eight in engineering" Owen said as he knelt by the nest Ianto was fully engulfed in, his arm reluctantly allowed for a blood sample, "I suggest you don't visit for a while, the venting will take some time and it stinks of those things."

"We didn't lose anyone?" Jack asked as he sat on the sofa by the nest to watch.

"No, but one of the engineers affected was Catkind and is taking it a little personally" Owen sighed, "His fur is still fuzzed up and he won't let me near him to make sure his heart is OK."

"I will go see him later" came a muffled mumble, "Or better yet, invite him here into the nest. He might need some soothing. Kats are different to people remember."

"I will ask" Owen nodded, rising to check the results as his machine whirred through the test. "Looks good, all the numbers are good and your adrenaline is slightly elevated still but Gorgan do tend to be nervy in the last few months or pregnancy."

"They are?" Jack asked, "So, what are we looking at here? Eight weeks?"

"Or nine, ten on the outside but everything looks great. I would like to scan Bump but know he is really not in the mood." Owen shrugged.

"Please stop calling our son Bump" Ianto growled from the blankets, "We need to sort a name for him. Don't we?"

"Can I name him?" Owen said cheekily, "Perhaps we could call him Gecko, the baby Godzilla."

The blankets were pulled back to expose a single glaring eyeball and Owen grinned into the nest, making kissy faces.

"I could end you."

"Awwwwm isn't he cute" Owen gushed.

"Well I named both mine, maybe it should be your turn to name my third child" Jack offered softly, "Something Gorgan?"

"I don't know" Ianto sighed, "I would like something….light. I feel he will be cheeky and forward like his father, I do not see much Gorgan in his actions although he will have my quick reasoning."

"Are you calling me slow?"

"I am calling you more impulsive rather than considered" Ianto corrected.

"Well, OK I accept that one" Jack shrugged as he settled more on the sofa to watch Owen work some more.

"Dark hair, blue eyes and maybe he will have my nose. Your mouth … gods …. Scratch that. I do not want out offspring to have that" a sigh sounded as both men outside the nest laughed.

"Hi Dad, Hi Tad, Hi Rat Man" Harrison chirped as he skipped through the room and launched himself into the nest, squealing as he found his Taddy inside already.

"Did you hear that?" Owen spluttered, "Now the kids are calling me that!"

Alice and Stephen came next, talking as they carried their books, then she saw her father "Dad, one of the kids at school went weird and was taken away."

Jack looked at Owen with concern but he shook his head, "It was a seizure from the flashing light of the game they were playing. Epilepsy. Undiagnosed pre-flight."

"Poor kid" Jack sighed, "I hope the other kids don't isolate or pick on the poor little one."

"Well, Harry and Stephen were the two who cared for him so anyone wants to do something about it will think twice" Alice said happily.

"good" came a grunt form the nest, followed by a soft meow of delight that meant Ianto was not just cuddling his child, there was some soft petting as well.

Jack watched the blankets rustling about and then he began to pull off his boots.

"Well, if you are getting neekid I am leaving" Owen quipped and Jack snorted with mirth as he yanked his other boot off and then stood to remove his tunic.

"Seriously Owen, all the things you've seen as a Doctor and I still scare you with my amazing body?" Jack quipped as Owen made like he was going blind.

Jack was still in his t-shirt and pants as he slid into the nest and own peeked through his fingers, "Oh thank the gods. Not blind, it must have been some sort of hysteria."

Sniggering in the nest and Owen smiled lovingly as he pulled the blanket over a little tail exposed.

He then let himself out as the other two children entered the nest for a family clutch.

He went in search of his own mate, Tosh pleased to get a loving cuddle.


	64. Chapter 64

64

Ianto had slipped into a doze, woken as the nest was folded back to expose him to the cooling air of the quarters.

"Why's is cool?"

"Huh now love, the venting system is working to get rid of the work smell. It means for the night shift we will have a chilly one. Come on love, the kids are all in their nest in their own room and I have run us a huge bath." Jack crooned and Ianto realized his mate was naked.

"You'll catch your death" Ianto said but Jack laughed.

"Boeshanninan, remember? We are hot blooded" Jack assured him, "Come on, here we go."

The large pool was waiting and Jack lowered them both into the hot water as Ianto groaned happily, the sensation of it creeping up his skin like a thousand kisses of a lover. A lover now lovingly caressing the bump as he ensured Ianto was warm.

"Jade?" Ianto said after a while, "or …or… Indigo?"

"Indie for short?" Jack asked.

"Indiana, that was where the Torchwood was built, right?" Ianto asked as he enjoyed those lips on his throat.

"Yah, Indiana. Oh, I like that love. Isn't there an old set of movies about an explorer called Indiana Jones?" Jack said as he tried to remember, "Wore a leather jacket and was a bit of a lad?"

"Ah" Ianto smiled as the steam wafted around them, the computer in the bathtub adjusting for the continued heat, "Yes. Indiana Jones. Indiana Harkness-Jones. Wait, no … it would be Indiana Torchwood. Like our vessel's model classification. Oh I like that. Indie Torchwood."

"I do too" Jack smiled, "I really do. Indiana. Nice."

"And so he is named" Ianto said softly, his fingers tracing the lone stretch mark Jack had not been able to stave off with his loving attention, like a lightning bolt on his side. "He will be full of life, adventure and mayhem."

"Perfect" Jack purred, his hands now sliding lower to cup, caress and tug as Ianto let his head fall back onto his shoulder and he gave a soft cry of delight as he was breached, Jack gently sliding him onto him, rocking them back as they connected and became one writhing mass of flesh, bone, nerves, power, strength, vulnerability, love, lust…. Maybe more love.

Yes. Definitely more love.

Afterwards they lay still conjoined, hands over the little one who was moving about, woken from his slumber by the energetic coupling of his parentals and Jack laughed as he felt the moment under his hands.

"See? Already impossible" Ianto sighed.

"Don't listen to Taddy" Jack crooned softly, "You are prefect my son. Lovely, wonderful and soooo damned excited."

"Are you OK?" Jack asked after a while, "I know this was …. Unsettling for you. You had wanted to stay onboard nice and quiet but Kirk and I wanted the wee jaunt that was so badly ended. I am sorry my love."

"No, it was something that happened, not something you did. I do not blame for this my love. The Gods have more control than us" Ianto assured him, "that we were spared, that we are here now shows we are blessed, not condemned my love."

"When we started this journey I knew there were risks, knew we would have times of …well … loss and hardship but it never occurred to me it could be face to face like this." Jack considered his next words, "I thought meteors or a seal leak might cause loss. Not…. So primitive as Others."

"We are entering a new world, creating a new life and there must be turmoil my Cariad. How else can there be peace if not first to set the bar with bloodshed." Ianto sighed.

"What will this one see, learn…teach" Jack smiled, then he rose to leave the tub and fetch their robes.

"Love. Of all things he must see, learn and teach that" Ianto said as he got his feet underneath him to rise and exit as well, the strong arms of his mate to steady.

"Come on, beddy byes" Jack droned and Ianto frowned as he followed him.

"You know, this infantile thing is not as much fun as you think it is" he scolded.

"Awww… come on. It's fun" Jack said cheekily then giggled as Ianto swung at him half heartedly.

"Cheeky mate."

"Ah! I knew it" Jack crowed excitedly, "I've assimilated you! Hahahaha."

Ianto caught up with what he had said and groaned "Damn it all, it appears I am learning certain behaviours from you. That bloody fuzzy rat of Harrison's will love all the socks that cannot make the basket once you spoil my aim."

Jack laughed as he pulled the covers over them both and a certain 'Fuckerrat' ran away happily with his latest find.

Who knew Jack had such interesting boxers.

Apparently Baxter was getting a taste for them.


	65. Chapter 65

65

Ianto felt the early signs, knowing instinctually what it was and he reached across the nest to pat Jack.

"Guf" Jack grunted, turning in the nest to settle again and Ianto sighed.

A slap.

"huh?"

"Cariad it's time. Put out the call for those who need to come witness" Ianto hissed as he shifted to slide the plastic sheeting under himself and Jack was sitting bolt upright with wide eyes, struggling to help.

Ianto let go of everything except the incoming child his panting regular as he closed his eyes and took a moment to thank the gods for this gift. Hertix entering to sit and place a hand on his shoulder silently communing.

Rhia was there, the children happy to all hunker down together in the other room …. Except Harrison who had twigged and was peeking around the doorframe with open concern.

"Come here love, come witness your brother entering our family" Ianto called softly, "It's OK, I am fine. Come."

He didn't need any more encouragement, shooting to sit by his Taddy's head with huge eyes watching as the birthing canal opened and Owen crooned as he gently felt around for a …. Foot.

"Here we are, come on stinker" Owen said gleefully as the child began to slide into the warm room, another foot and then the genitals that proved them right then a fat little belly, a chin with a little dimple that had Jack crowing as his son popped out and blinked up at him with those stormy eyes of the Gorgan.

"My chin" Jack crowed, "Ianto's nose and my chin….yeahhhhhh!"

Owen was working on the cleaning now, scooping and cleansing as others helped, Jack entranced with his son as he sat and checked tiny toes and fingers, Harrison standing with a paw on his arm to see as well.

"What do you think love? Taddy made a good one yeah?" Jack smiled and Harrison's whiskers flicked as Jack stood and motioned "Sit. You should have first hold, you witnessed."

"Oh wow" Harrison sighed happily as he held his baby brother and looked down with wonder, "He has Taddy's frown."

"I think he will have your love for cuddles" Jack said firmly, "He already loves you, look how he is trying to memorise you."

"Yah?"

"Yeah. Look, little lips pursed like when Taddy reads a report from the night shift, wanting to know who stuffed up. Look, he wants to know who you are" Jack assured the Kat.

"Awwww" Harrison crooned "I will be with you forever and ever. I will love you and squeeze you and call you my brother."

"Good decision, he would make a weird sister. But who knows with the captain as … ow!" Owen squealed as Ianto slapped him hard, then flopped back.

"Leave my babies alone!"

"Shit, he has good aim" Owen chortled, "Does he get you like that?"

"And it is something our son need not know, our adult time is our own" Jack said jauntily, "I should feel jealous he wasted some foreplay on you!"

"He's OK?" Ianto asked as he ignored the games.

"Perfect" Owen agreed, "All fingers and toes, no tail but a lovely head of hair."

"Yeah?" Ianto sighed as he let himself drift, Owen no hurting him as he finished up, pulling the plastic away so Ianto could now curl in on himself.

"Get some sleep" Owen said as he patted Ianto's hip, "that baby is not going to have any problems bar getting a feed, Jack?"

Jack knelt and laid the baby into Ianto's arms and he barely moved as the baby latched on with greedy sucking noises.

"Wow, look at him go. Gorgan" Owen grinned, "Born with the knowledge needed to survive."

"I don't know" Harrison said as he leaned into watch, "Daddy makes that noise when sucking on the pork chip bones."

Everyone laughed and Harrison stood, "Better get the others, we all need to witness. They need a hold."

"Yes son, good work." Jack patted a little back, "So clever like Taddy."

Harrison shone with pride in the praise and went to tell the other kids, everyone running with glee to see Ianto fully covered and safe, a tiny baby looking at them with knowing eyes and Jack gushing as he wiped tears away he hadn't known where there.

"Indiana Torchwood" Jack said softly, "Indiana Jones-Harkness Torchwood welcome to the family."

"Wow, lots to learn to spell" David huffed, "Mind, a great name. When he's a Captain or something it will look real grand on the side of a ship's hull."

Jack grinned, "You think he will be a flier do you?"

"Bet" David nodded, "by the time he's big enough we will have a squadron, he can fly with me. I bet he will be so clever at it."

"You never offered me" Harrison said with surprise and slight annoyance.

"Don't be daft" David laughed, "You'll be on the Bridge helping control us!"

"Point" Harrison nodded sagely, "Fair point. Like herding Kevvilofs"

Laugher as the small blow flies known for making an annoying squeaking noise seemed a good comparison.


	66. Chapter 66

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Ianto was glad to see Rhys, and the food he was currently inhaling with grunts and groans of glee. This recipe was a winner and Rhys was excited to watch Ianto's enthusiasm, mentally going through the recipe to see where he could tweak it now and then. So nice to see him eating when he is so picky.

Gorgan.

Indy was in his Daddy's arms as Jack continued the love-fest he seemed unable to quit, revelling in each new movement or noise. Jack still couldn't believe a little one so small could be so perfectly fine in this big bad place, so trusting as he stared up at him with those slow blinks. He had waited for this for what seemed like forever and he was exactly what he had imagined him to be.

Perfect.

"Taddy?"

"Hars?"

"When I was born did you act like that?"

Ianto looked up and saw the plaintive face as Harrison glanced at the love-fest and Ianto realised he was a little jealous, smiling as he nodded, "I held you up and ran around the room as your mama scolded me, I was so excited that I had a pouch so I could carry you everywhere and she had to beg to get a hold. So possessive, I kept a hand on you then too. She almost ripped my eyes out a few times before I realised I was a bit insane."

"Really?"

"My son, my little Kit" Ianto sighed, "I was besotted. Mad. Insane with love. I wanted to hold you there by my heart forever. Lisa was so tired and pleased that you had made it."

"Was I that cute?"

"Are you kidding? Imagine him with little whiskers … see? I was so mad with love that I took so many photos I broke the device" Ianto laughed "wore it out in the first week. You were so perfect. My little boy. Now you are a big boy, still my Kitty but now you make me so proud with your brain and your lovely heart, not just the fact you are so handsome I preen."

"Taddy" Harrison scolded, his face showing is delight in the sweet talking as he stroked his Taddy's hair and then slid into the nest to cuddle.

Alice was now currently holding her baby brother as she wept, so happy to see everyone was safe and Jack was sad to learn she had been so afraid but unable to admit it, if he had known he would have had her here to witness even if she had said she was fine in the other room. So much like her mother, telling you things after the fact. Maybe it's why he loved Ianto so quickly, this filtering thing in the Gorgan almost non-existent. No lies and no holding back. If he was angry, he said. If he was happy, he said. If Jack made a mistake, he said. When he got it right…. Well. Jack quite likes the praise there too.

"Ianto, I love you" he said as he looked down at his mate now snoozing in the bedding and a soppy smile showed he had been heard both through the bond and in the room, "Thank you. For loving me, forgiving me and always giving me another chance. This chance, to be a Dadda again is a big one and I will not let you down."

"Never doubted you" Ianto slurred as he shifted, "Now shut up. Sleeping."

"Yes my beloved" Jack said with amusement as he was scolded see? No anger or resentment, just a factual statement to fix something.

Others started arriving, gifts and good wishes pouring in as Jack sat to contact those waiting patiently at other stations. Spock made a small noise of glee making Jim grin like a thing possessed as he stage whimpered that an excited Gorgan was so much fun. Jack agreed excitedly that this was a fact he had indeed discovered, did he not have the baby to prove this lack of control?

"Stop it" came the reply in unison, both from the screen and the nest as the two Captains laughed happily.

"Look, he is looking at you" Stephen said excitedly as his turn with the bub had him turning so the tiny face could see those on the screen, Spock slamming Jim aside to get closer as he openly gushed now, his eyes wide as he looked at the little baby that was half the size of a human one. So Gorgan.

"Perfect" he sighed and everyone had to agree.

Ianto had done a wonderful job, as he does with everything.


	67. Chapter 67

67

Lenno and Indy were lying on the little rug as the men stared down at them with open glee.

"And I thought he was small" Hertix snorted, "Look, your cousin is smaller than you were Lee"

Ianto hummed softly as his little one's eyes slid to him and a tiny hand reached out, waving with fingers wriggling.

"Ah, hungry?" Ianto asked politely, "You would like sustenance my son?"

Tiny eyelids fluttered as he considered his Dam, then the hand clasped closed with a grunt.

"Come on" Ianto leaned over the baby, scooping him up and then settling back with one hand opening his tunic as the other held his son gently before moving the bub to the tit. They watched him latch on with a little growl, a snort as his Uncle Hen pointed and called him a Gorgan Grub.

"A Gobbly Grub" Ianto agreed with the same calm nod.

Ianto soon drifted off to sleep and everyone moved quietly around him and his armful of sweetness, Harrison deciding it was his place to remind people that his Taddy needed rest.

"Draco Dormiens Numquam Titillandus" he hissed to one of the Dragone who were peeking into the nest and Jack swung with surprise to ask what that was.

"I've not heard that language before, what is that one love?"

"Latin" Harrison explained, "Old Earth's old language. meaning 'Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon' I think."

"Well, where did you learn that?" Jack laughed softly, "That's a good one."

"Harry Potter" Harrison smiled, "A Harry like me."

"Do I know him?"

Harrison started to make little snorting noises and Jack realised he was trying not to laugh at him so he gathered him into a squeeze, "What."

"The books Taddy reads us ya Divvy" Harrison finally giggled as he slapped at him before nuzzling into his chest with open affection, "Harry Potter is the main character. Taddy knew I would love a book about a wizard with cool powers who had my name"

Really?" Jack was interested, "Most nights I miss story time ... well these days, which book is first?"

Stephen went to the bookcase of … precious books…real books… choosing the first in the series and handing it to his father "Careful. It's addictive."

"No doubt" Jack muttered as he settled back to read and there was soon an engrossed Captain with wide eyes reading about Hogwarts.

Ianto woke to find Jack almost a quarter of the way into the book, his eyes wide as he drank in the scene.

"Where are you up to Cariad?"

"Were there really man horses?" Jack replied.

"Centaurs?" Ianto yawned, "Myth and Legend. But then again, so were Dragons."

Jack looked up from the book, "So … some of these things are real, I thought I recognised a few."

"The plants in the botany class are from an old book she found in the market or something, the names she uses in the book" Ianto stretched and his chest moved, the sleeping baby draped across him rising and falling with the motion. Looked super sweet and Jack smiled as he chose a bookmark from some of the handmade cards of welcome for their son.

"A lot of things are based on fact, yet…tweaked. I do know a lot of things that were called folk law were based on ancient things that really did happen, but like any story retold a thousand times it was altered" Ianto scooped up the baby as he rose and Jack eagerly relinquished the book with his baby coming closer, his pride and joy placed in his care as Ianto slopped toward the bathroom.

"What do you think Indy? Do you think wizards really existed too?" he whispered to his son who blinked slowly in the way of Gorgan who are trying to decide if they are amused or not. Jack found it terribly endearing to see Ianto reflected in that way so he lifted the baby closer and kissed his little face.

A small smile.

Victory.

"Is he awake?" Harrison was there leaning against Jack to see and Jack moved the baby so the two boys could regard one another, Harrison leaning in to whisker kiss his baby brother in such a delightful way that a little squeak was heard.

"Did you hear that?" Jack said excitedly as Ianto stood in the doorway, "He squeaked at his brother."

"Harrison, you do seem to have the touch my love" Ianto nodded and Harrison puffed out his chest, calling out as Alice entered and she rushed over to coo and stroke a tiny cheek.

"He's loving that attention" Ianto assured them as he scratched his ear absently then climbed back into the freshly remade nest, "Thank you Hertix."

"I shall take my leave" he leaned in to kiss Ianto's cheek in a rare display then scooped up his baby and left, Jack watching with interest.

"He is opening up to the possibility of being cared for" he noted.

"Yes, the birth has helped him grieve, let go of his lost mate and now he sees potential in the future that he thought had been gone from him" Ianto agreed.

"I like him" Jack declared, "Good family material."

Ianto was pleased with that statement as he had hoped to broach the subject of Hertix being his part-time childcare when he retook his tunic.

Hopefully.


	68. Chapter 68

68

"What do you mean?" Ianto asked calmly as Jack closed the tablet he was working on.

"I mean, he is too young to be left with someone" Jack replied "I expect you to spend at least the first three months helping him."

"Helping him" Ianto repeated, canting his head, "Like what…swat for a test?"

"Don't be obtuse" Jack snorted, "Ianto, there are certain responsibilities a mother has to a new born, both my babies had their mother to care for them in their first few years…."

"Years!" Ianto barked, "Are you insane? I am not giving up my standing. I would need to step aside as Second in Command. You can't…."

"I can say you are compromised due to hormonal imbalances" Jack was smug now, forgetting this was a Gorgan he was arguing with and the calm rationale was a mask. Although Jack was playing Ianto recognised the threat to his rank as a member of crew.

"I see" Ianto said slowly, his left eye twitching slightly and it would not be until later that Jack would remember that moment of stupidity. Sheer bloody dickheadery.

Ianto rose, calmly scooping the baby from Jack's arms, "If you will excuse me sir, I have…. Responsibilities here."

Ianto stormed from the room with that graceful calm that foretold of a storm brewing … if only Jack knew what a storm warning that was.

.

.

.

.

"Ianto, I'm home" Jack called merrily as he entered the Berth the next evening and he found three sullen children sitting on the sofa waiting for him. "Hey offspring."

"Father" came the droll reply from all three who seemed unusually pissed.

"Something wrong?"

"Taddy sez we make too much noise and we woke the baby. Since we are not to go play with the others now, we have to come home for him to care for us you see, we have to sit here and play in our heads" Alice's vice was a low hiss, "Apparently … Taddy is now a Mama."

"Mama."

"Yes and we must be cared for. Always. Like ... smotheringly so" Harrison gloomed.

"Hello Captain" the Gorgan entered the room with the baby strapped to his chest, the little baby snoring away as his head lay nestled under Ianto's chin, "If you would please remove your shoes. Cleaning the floor is a real problem with a newborn so I would prefer a little consideration please."

Jack looked at his boots, the ship clean as always and …what? Jack blinked.

"Slippers are by the door, please be respectful of my house" Ianto swept from the room once more.

"I don't know what you did" Harrison hissed softly, "But he is gonna make you pay sooooo bad! Do something before we are in this forever!"

"What?"

"Tad…." Harrison stopped speaking and sat back hurriedly, "Tadda, may we please be excused until supper? Maybe we can tidy our rooms?"

Ianto seemed to consider, one hand patting the baby's bum as he looked hard at the Kat, "Good. Yes, quietly."

They shot away and Jack watched Harrison stall outside his door and then extend a single claw to draw across his throat in that universal sign for 'you're fucked' before disappearing.

Jack sat at the perfectly made up table and a glass of fresh juice appeared, "Oh. Thanks. I was going to have some coffee or…"

"I'm out"

"What?"

Ianto swung to look at Jack like he was a bug, "I'm out of coffee. As I cannot currently drink it I was unaware that you had lowered the jar. I must provide for my child, no coffee. Bad for you, too much of it. So … I did not replenish."

"I'll whip and get some for the morning brew then" Jack smiled as he shot from the seat and rushed down the hallway, entering the Mess and searching for Rhys who seems amused as he stood watching him come towards him.

"Captain?"

"Ianto's pissed at me and I don't know….what!"

"Nice slippers."

Jack looked down at the light blue slippers and gasped, knowing if Ianto realised then he would have to clean them when re-entering… his own Berth, wait. What? He blurted out to Rhys what he had come home to and begged a coffee.

OK, did you row about something?" Rhys asked and Jack shook his head, "OK, Gorgan fighting, did he get polite and use big words. A tic or sniff?"

"No. Wait, just when he said he was going back on duty and I put him straight about needing to be at home with the baby" Jack said, watching Rhys pull back slightly with surprise.

"You really don't know a lot of Gorgan ways do you" Rhys said with a sigh, "Captain, Gorgan are communal, sort of close to Catkind. When one has a baby, another with a baby already usually takes the role of a wet-nurse or… like… nanny. Hertix would be a perfect choice… what. He said him?"

"Um."

"Oh boy, you in it deep if you said no" Rhys sighed, "They take turns. One day Ianto has both babies, another day Hertix has both. It is to ensure a bond between the children, Gorgan believe in fostering a communal family."

"He did say something about it, why they call witness when birthing" Jack now saw he hadn't been listening again, "Hertix needs this too?"

"And Ianto must remain Ianto. Just because he has birthed for you, it should not change who he is in the relationship. Changing his title or altering his sense of worth can get a dangerous thing to do. Gorgan can hold a slight."

"Shit."

"Indeed."


	69. Chapter 69

69

Jack returned to the meal being served so he placed the coffee down and took a deep breath knowing it was like a Band-Aid, best to rip it off quick.

"I have made a mistake"

The children's heads swivelled to look at him with that silent 'obviously' stare as Ianto turned slowly from the counter.

"I forgot that Taddy is Gorgan. Stupid I know. I thought … well I didn't and I said something stupid and I have hurt his feelings" Jack took a breath as the children took a collective one as well, "I have talked with Uncle Rhys who explained that I was a first class dork and I am wanting to apologise. How do you think I should apologise to Taddy for my unkind words?"

"What did you say?" Harrison said, his bristling showing his annoyance that something had gone wrong.

"I suggested Taddy stay home and be the Mama"

Silence.

Alice spoke, surprising them all, "Well that's horrible. When I am a Grup I will expect equal care with my mate, if he even thinks I will be the primary I think I should smash his head in. If anything, I would hope that if I am of officer rank which I expect I shall be, my Tunic must be maintained."

"Thank you Daughter" Ianto said with a soft cant of his head, "My Tunic is important to me. I've never told you of my Parentals have I."

They all turned with interest, watching him sit in front of his own food, "My Parentals paid to have me engineered, my father disappointed that I threw so Gorgan. He left us, left us for another woman. My mother was dying so she signed me to the academy. I saw my father years later when I was a grunt and he looked through me like I wasn't there. Earning a higher rank than he had achieved was a strange feeling, to know that I surpassed the man I thought was my superior. I saw him, standing in a room one day and he didn't recognise me of course so I walked up to him, scented him and found him to be drunk and unsavoury. It was my turn to walk away. I did so with a strange sadness."

"You will never deny us" Stephen said with a nod, "You will never betray us, never let us down. You will die for us. None of us think you are anything less than our Taddy."

"Thank you sweetling" Ianto smiled, "Now, I choose to forgive your Dadda since he recognises that he did wrong. It is important to admit a fault, only by recognising one can you fix it."

"Well said" Jack hummed, "I must try harder to both acknowledge and respect Taddy's traditional ways. Gorgan are strong and clever, they have survived when other civilisations fell. Worth learning from."

"You know Uncle Owen keeps trying to help you there" Harrison had stopped bristling and Jack was forgiven there as well, "Gorgan are not like other people, they process differently. That was terribly hurtful to Taddy. You need to do more in not just supporting him as a mate, but also as Captain of us all. You rule us like a king or a Tsar or something. If you do not know your people, how can you be their voice?"

Jack was surprised even as Ianto clearly was not, reaching out to stroke a little paw affectionately as he answered, "I know you are annoyed sweetling, I think Daddy is annoyed with himself also. It is not easy for him either though, Gorgan are also known for being withheld. It is our nature not to give warning to a possible hurt, maybe I need to learn too. I have chosen a human mate, just as I once chose a Catkind. Allowances have to be made and adjustment learned if love is to flow when the two in question are not directly the same but I can assure you the differences can make the coupling more interesting."

"I guess" Harrison nodded as he considered.

"Like … little Berttil that asked you to marry her the other day" Alice said to Harrison after she had considered, "Can you imagine if she had decided to marry Kep? A Dragone and a Gorgan?"

The children all laughed like it was a huge joke and Jack turned to Ianto for clarification.

"Gorgan are cold, ice. Dragon are fire my love" Ianto whispered, "For opposites to mix it would be explosive. Of all the races we have on board there will never be fire and ice connected as they try hard to get along but each feels the other one is combative. They…how do you say…."

Harrison helped, "Rub each other the wrong way."

"Thank you son" Ianto nodded and Jack snorted.

"Well, we can't have that. What a mixture" Jack agreed with a serious frown at the children that had them all laughing some more and now he was really confused.

"The crew call us…" Ianto stopped and gave a soft snort of amusement that Jack found endearing … "they call us the Menagerie"

"Huh?"

"Well, we are a collection of races are we not? A Dragone would finish of the ensemble" Ianto said to his son who laughed as he shook his head.

"No way, are you mad? Me? With one of them?" Harrison flapped his paws expressively like there was a bad smell, "They are way too aggressive for a Kat!"

Jack laughed along with them as he saw that they were right, their family did have a large mixture within. As for the Dragone element … Jack watched Ianto's head lift as he laughed and knew that he already had someone that could stoke his fire more than any Dragone ever could.

He really had to try harder here.


	70. Chapter 70

70

Owen shoved Jack in the middle of his back as he hesitated on the doorstep propelling him down into the room that was unlike any he had seen before.

"Captain?"

"Hertix, hi buddy" Jack smiled nervously as he glanced around the room at the Gorgan all turning to look at him.

"The Captain is here for the Gorgan class, wanted to come a little early to say hi, didn't want to make an entrance once the others arrived" Owen said as he shoved him again, this time into the middle of the room where Hertix rushed to aid him.

"Captain, come with me and I will show you our traditional Tunic, I am both surprised and excited that you wish to learn of our customs more, what a wonderful thing to do for Ianto." Hertix gushed….well ... in a Gorgan way with was a slight lift in his usually droll voice but you know what I mean, the hand on Jack's arm tapping gently with affection, "Here we are. Lenny, look who is here."

Lenno gave a little squeal of hello and Jack was a gushing fool, lifting the baby for kisses and cuddles as he declared him the most handsome little Gorgan in the entire verse in his tiny tunic Hertix had clearly made himself with such care. The Gorgan who were close by moved closer to watch as Hertix gave a rare blush of pleasure, Jack kissing the tiny face of the Gorgan baby and crooning that he was a wonderful little star.

"If you are finished welcoming" Hertix said as he noticed their growing crowd, "Perhaps you would choose a colour?"

"Ianto's" Jack said without looking up, "Red. He is my mate and I would prefer to wear his colours thanks."

Again he didn't look up and didn't see the delight in faces as Jack declared Ianto his equal amongst his peers and Hertix nodded with satisfaction as he chose a Tunic from the rack that was the same as what Ianto wore when not on duty, "This is our traditional cut, note the double breasting instead of the single fold over the front."

Jacks looked and smiled "That's the one. Ianto looks so fine in it, I am trying to encourage him to wear it while on duty. I think we should all be allowed to be ourselves and more diverse in our uniforms. We are not Space Fleet anymore, we are Torchwood and maybe it's time we let go of the rigidity therein. This is lovely, feels so soft, what fabric is it?"

Hertix stepped aside for their nervous tailor to explain the fine fabric and the different colours, buttons and such to Jack as others wanting to learn filed in, soon the entire class were standing with their captain in assorted Gorgan clothing as Jack gushed that it felt lovely against the skin and he wanted more.

"You would like me to make some in your colours?" Tailor Grom asked.

"No, no. The blue is militarial colours, not the colours of my birth. I am from Boeshane originally, all sand and sun. Our traditional clothing was white and a pale sandy colour to help cool in the heat." Jack explained, "No. I like Ianto's. Feels right. Nice to acknowledge our bond like this. No, make me some in his colours, maybe with the buttons of my old Tunics to show difference, have something militarial about it while still nodding to my love." Jacks rubbed his hands on the front of the tunic some more "Actually, our traditonal buttons were carved wood or sea shells, my Mama and a lot of us had necklaces…. I think I still have some that were gifted to me by my family when I left for service. Some strings, if you would like them to make buttons."

Jack had no idea the offer of such a gift would cause a loud intake of breath and he looked to Hertix for explanation.

"A gift of your family, like…heirloom and you offer it as a gift?" Hertix knew this needed explanation as well as clarification for those listening.

"Yes, well, I am not the only Boeshanninan who mixes" Jack shrugged, "There might be others who would like different buttons on their tunics to show their origins or maybe even their intended's. Like, when courting if one were to wear the buttons of the other as a show of promise or something, I think that would be sweet. Buttons to show who we love, the famiy we connect to. I have heaps of those shell strings as they were given for luck when leaving, best they go into the collective for us to all enjoy and share."

"But they were for your family" Hertix crossed his fingers as he hoped Jack would say the words and he was not disappointed as Jack snorted and without a second thought pleased the entire race listening.

"But Gorgan are my family now. All of you are mine. As I am yours. Torchwood carries one entire single fantastically diverse family and we can all share." Jack said with a smile of affection, "Ianto is part of me, so I guess I am now part Gorgan."

The entire room of Gorgan listening swelled with delight as their Captain became something new, something he didn't know he had become at all.

He became a member of the Gorgan Collective.


	71. Chapter 71

71

Ianto was surprised to find Jack entering their Berth in the Gorgan Tunic, still humming softly as he carried little Lenno in one arm, Hertix trailing behind with the old tunic under his own arm.

"Cariad, you look so fine" Ianto said with delight as he reached out to stroke the fabric, checking to see that it truly was a Gorgan design.

"Feels great" Jack replied, "I think I want all my tunics this cut. I love all the buttons, so regal."

He bounced over to look at himself in the screen, turning it into a mirror as he turned on one foot to frown, "My boots don't look right. I think I need better ones, what to you wear again? Those thigh ones?"

Ianto looked at Hertix who had now managed to retrieve his child, "Captain came to class. Made quite a wave."

Ianto was interested now, the term 'wave' meaning he make some sort of major comment or declaration and he turned back to Jack, "Sir?"

"Ianto, when you rearranged things in the sleeping quarters did you come across a box of little shells, like this big?" Jacks swing and showed the size to be roughly that of a four slice toaster, "It was packed with strings of them."

"Yes, I placed it under the bed"

"There we go" Jack crowed, "Hertix can I give those to you now before I forget? I have a mind like a sieve without my lovely mate to take notes and would hate to forget Grom's need for them for my tunics."

"Tunics?"

"Yeah, Grom is gonna make me some more in your colours, I am gonna have the Boeshanninan buttons on it to show we are a mix" Jack said as he bounced from the room and Ianto had exactly three seconds as he processed before he barked with alarm and ran after him. Three seconds. Not too long right? Right … this is Jack and he had already opened the bed, flinging it up to reveal the things stored beneath and he was staring at what he had found.

"What's that?"

"My wishes" Ianto snatched at the little box covered with glitter paper that had been under Ianto's side of the bed but Jack seized it back, looking at Ianto with raised eyebrows.

"It's a wishing box" Ianto repeated, "Look, it's a silly childish Gorgan custom…"

Jack sat on the edge of the bed boxing and waited.

"When small we often took a box and made it our place of secrets. Wishes and sadness. We would write what we wanted or needed and place it in the box. If the Great Box God Oberon so desired he might one day gift us one of those…oh wow. Give it to me!"

Jack handed the box over and Ianto folded gracefully to the floor, sitting cross-legged as he opened the box and furtively hunted through tiny scraps of paper. Jack leaned forward and Ianto adjusted his grip with a glare, "Stop it. Wishes are secret ya dorxil."

"Potty mouth" Jack said with glee at his mate's childlike stance.

"Here it is."

"You just said they are secret" Jack teased and Ianto snorted, "Once they are granted it's safe to show."

Ianto handed the piece of paper to Hertix which surprised Jack but he guessed this was some sort of Gorgan thing so he waited as Hertix made a sound, then handed the paper to him. Jack looked at the unimaginably perfect writing as Ianto sighed, "I think I was four, maybe five."

 _ **My God. Please send me love. I will try to be worthy of it. Please give me a mate that matches me.**_

Jack stared at the piece of paper as Ianto rose and reached out to touch the fabric of the tunic once more, then he moved to the rack and changed into his own.

"Come" Ianto whispered, leading Jack out into the main room where the children had arrived from school and as Ianto stood them both in front of the large mirror to look at their matching tunics Harrison was the first to confirm it.

"You two match."

"Yes Cariad, we do" Ianto's voice was thick with emotion, "Loved and matching."

Jack looked at the piece of paper still in his hand and he strode to the mantle, placing the piece of paper carefully into the corner of the frame that held their wedding portrait. Where it belongs.

"A perfect moment. A prefect day" Jack said softly, "For I had a wish from my childhood come true too. I stood as a small child in the sand and looked out to the heavens and wished that Gods were real, that they could grant wishes to those who deserved them. That I might be loved by someone with my own heartbeat in their chest."

"Oh Cariad" Ianto sighed happily, "Imagine, what if we were making those wishes at the same time and the Gods saw us, saw that our streams of life were in tune even then. Placed us here?"

Jack swung to face him, "Why not. Makes sense to me, such a perfect mate as you can only be a gift."

Ianto was speechless.

Him?

A gift?

Jack knew he was forgiven, as he would hopefully always be.

The Gods would surely pity and help him on occasion like they clearly just had.


	72. Chapter 72

72

The new Tunics arrived and Jack was smitten, especially as Grom had added the lovely tight fitting pants. He was flouncing about with glee when Hertix entered, a show of surprise as the baby was snatched away to fly about while Jack made hover plane noises.

"Hertix, welcome brother" Ianto said happily, his own baby asleep in his arms and he knelt to place the little one on the mat, "Indy has just imbibed and no doubt will be comatose for another few hours, Cariad if he has just imbibed he may throw up on you if you keep…"

Jack knelt and gently placed the little one under the play things that hung over the mat, his face one of horror at the thought of what may have happened. Ianto knew Hertix had not just fed the little one, his day to mind the babies he would have come full in case Ianto hadn't time for a morning bonding and he rose to kiss his brother's cheek with affection, "Rhiannon may be over, she is wanting to discuss some baby clothing with you, apparently she found some Gorgan designs."

"Oooo"

"Lovely" Jack said as he watched the babies lay there, "Aren't they prefect? Babe? Look, they are so sweet and perfectly made. Amazbawlzing."

"Stop making up words, we've discussed this" Ianto sighed.

Hertix glowed with delight and motioned to the bag he had been carrying, "Brother, for you."

Ianto smiled softly, "Jack. He is speaking to you, not me."

"Huh?" Jack looked up and over at the bag, then bounced over, "Ooooo gifts!"

He sat and peeked in the bag then did something Ianto had never seen him do before yet had been Harrison do on occasion and to see Jazz Hands was so sweet as it showed Jack was learning this from his son.

"BOOTS!"

Jack pulled out the traditional Gorgan thigh highs and squealed as he toed off his boots and pulled them on, completing his uniform to stand and look in the mirror, "Look at my arse. Wow, Holdfast, look at my arse. Soooo smackable. Look, yours is so taut that you could bounce a pebble of it where as mine looks…well … feminine. Wow, I have curves. Look, lush me."

Ianto rolled his eyes as he stepped into Jack's side, doing up the buttons of the tunic and fingering the little shells that he had kept covered with the flaps so they would not poke a baby. So considerate to do such a thing, Jack explaining that it was Boeshanninan to keep shirts open for this reason with a youngling in the house.

They were truly adapting to one another as Ianto tried it and found it comfortable to do so as well, also made it easier for feeding.

"Aright, you do look smackable, now go get my communicator could you? It's still by the bed. Indy has started playing with it and yesterday Andy thought someone was giving him a sexy call for a while before recognising suckling."

Hertix snorted with laughter as Jack bounced away and Ianto turned to him, "Thank you for the kind gift, he had said we wanted new boots. He will crow all day now the uniform is complete."

"The gift is there" Hertix said as he sat to watch the babies, "The Captain declaring himself part Gorgan as part of your bonding has changed the view within our kind. This is a new dawn and if you watch you will see it. I have passed three so far with Boeshanninan buttons on their tunics to show they are of the Captain's family. I think by the end of the quarter all tunics will carry at least one button of shell."

"And as always, he has no idea" Ianto smirked softly, "Well, there you go."

Ianto walked with Jack to the bridge and he did note the tunics passing on various colours and cuts, some with one or two buttons of shells and finally Jack spoke, "Did that Ensign have a Boeshanninan button on his tunic?"

"I believe so Captain, must has some in his family" Ianto agreed sagely.

"Nice" Jack smiled, "Glad my shells are getting some usage. Maybe when we visit different places we should look for more, didn't the Dragone traditionally use glass?"

"Yes, rare these days" Ianto took the chair as Jack knelt to check the grating where Tosh was trying to replace it, "Dragone love coloured glass for their buttons."

"I think Jim said something about one of the market planets ahead having some Valerian and Dragone stalls, remind me to look. Grom might like some for his work." Jack stood to bounce on the grating, a click to show it was in and he smiled at Tosh, "and what about you little darling? You look so sweet in that gown, so nice to see traditional robes instead of a stuffy uniform."

"My day off" she started to apologise and Ianto waved behind Jack for her to stop apologsing.

"Good, well you know I am going to decree uniforms are not mandatory unless we are on official business" Jack said to her as others swung to listen, "When in port or we have a dignitary onboard maybe we need to be prim but when it's just us family we should wear what we are comfortable in. After all, we are all family right?"

"Yes Sir" came the response of many voices and he laughed.

"Good, and please call me Jack. You all know I am just flubbing about while Ianto makes me look good."

Soft laughter as Ianto included his head lovingly towards his mate.

Together they made a striking couple. Apart they would be useless.

For Ianto knew he had found his heartbeat.


End file.
